


Throw the Window Open

by FauxskiFiction



Category: Original Work
Genre: Comedy, Drama & Romance, Erotica, F/M, Memories, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Soul-Searching, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-15
Updated: 2019-01-11
Packaged: 2019-05-07 04:53:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 62,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14663724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FauxskiFiction/pseuds/FauxskiFiction
Summary: Due to the after effects of a plane crash, Claire Bricet has lost all of her prior memories. Just as she is beginning to adjust, a sexy and mysterious stranger enters the house ravishing her in the middle of the night. Over the next few months Claire discovers who she was and the path she has chosen leads her towards a bright life that she will never want to forget.





	1. End of Spring Time

**Author's Note:**

> Author Note: Hmmmmm just enjoy! Don’t take the writing too seriously as I’m just having some fun ☺ Please note the characters in this story do have explicit sexual encounters

Present Day:

This luxurious texture upon my tongue laced with the effervescent crunch. The salted meat coated with the tangy dressing soaking into unbelievably soft bread. 

“Claire, you’re making out with the sandwich again.”

“Huh?” My coworker’s voice snapped me out of my heavenly dream. It had been approximately 1 month since I’ve had the taste of meat. One luxury I rarely afforded myself.

“Here use this.” She handed me a napkin and tapped the corner of her lips. “Dressing.” She smiled.

“Thanks” the napkin managed to soak up the remnants of the lunch. I was not finished so I took another big bite. 

“You really should consider dating that guy whose family owns the deli by your house. You’ll be fed day in and day out! Not only that I heard he has all the right meat.” She touched the area below her stomach and continued with a crude gesture.

A piece of the bread lodge in my throat at this comment with a choking fit to follow. Aisley, my co-worker let out a small giggle. This was her favorite thing to do at our lunch break. Feed me then proceed to make a lewd comment so I would choke. Her next sentence I already had in my mind as I slammed my fist between my breasts.

“Claire you are so cute and innocent.”

Right on cue, “Claire you are so cute and innocent.” She then followed with an unexpected sentence. “Some guy is going to eat you up one day.”

“I hope not” a few coughs and a sip of iced coffee brought me back to normal. 

“Speaking of which… Monday is the big day!”

“What?” I sipped the iced coffee. It had more sugar than usual today, but the compliment of the bitterness and the salted meat from my sandwich went well with each other.

“Come on! Every single lady has been talking about it!”

“About what?”

“Prude!” Aisley stuck her tongue out at me then crossed her arms. She looked picturesque against the horizon. This place on the roof had become our hideaway from the demanding work day. Aisley usually sat on the step above me one below. 

“You should know, that the President is finally returning from his overseas travels.”

“Ah. Now I remember.”

Aisley Maddow like most of the women (single or not) in my office were wild when it came to men and even more crazy when they were apparently attractive as our founder, CEO, and President. When I first started at this job about four months ago, Aisley pulled me aside in the women’s locker room and demanded to know my dating status along with my general preference in men. It wasn’t long until I could hear the other women gossiping about Aisley behind her back, but put on a different face in front. The other women did not think much of me and that’s probably why she gravitated in my direction. Why would someone who dressed a little less lady like be attractive to the guys in the office? So from that moment on she and myself formed a little bond – she would get first dibs then I would get left overs. I never took her up on the male leftovers and only her home made lunches, it was another reason she chooses me to be her only work friend. In a lot of aspects, the candor of her motives were refreshing.

“He is just absolute perfection don’t you agree Claire?” 

“Hmm-hmm” I mumbled through the last chew on my lunch.

“Ah! I’m so excited. The pictures just haven’t quite gotten me off in the past few weeks. It’s so much better to fantasize about him when he is there in front of you!”

There was a small heat starting to spread across my cheeks listening to her describe how gorgeous he is. The truth was, Aisley never showed me his pictures so her description was incredibly vivid. “Hmm-Hmm” I would nod and hum at the appropriate moments. She didn’t seem to care much this was one of our rituals. It was not until she mentioned how successful he was that a cloud started to form in my mind.

“32. Perfectly Single. Most accomplished of our generation.” She rattled off other remarks that could be seen in the tabloids “…even bought out RadX!”

I spit the sip of coffee across the floor choking once again. “Oh Claire, I’m sorry – I really didn’t mean to bring that up.”

“No its” Wheezing trying to catch my breath “ok”. The napkin I had from my sandwich made another appearance to clean up my mouth and shirt. 

Aisley stood up and planted herself beside me helping to rub away the stain. “I think that’s all we can do. I have another shirt in my locker when we go downstairs.” She lifted her wrist to look at the time. “Speaking of which we better hurry. Time to go back!”

I huffed “Alright, lets get the shirt first.”

Aisley smiled “I was betting you wouldn’t go that far Claire.”

Embarrassed that my bad habits were starting to become known, I quickly stood up collecting the trash from my lunch. Aisley was already ahead of me and happened to be stopped by one of the men in our department. She smiled wide and playfully patted his arm. 

A sigh escaped me as I looked down at my stained shirt thinking it was probably better that no guy ever found me attractive. 

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Reflection:

This is a simple and boring life 28-year-old girl. That is what someone would say examining me. The other people, such as my family, would know this has been a long road because 2 years ago… I lost my memory.  
When I woke up in the hospital, on the first day of my new life, an older gentleman was hovering over me. Gray hair was starting to challenge the jet black streaks. “Hi Claire… how do you feel?” he asked me. My mind was blank. He stared at me waiting for a response then asked again. Words did form on my tongue containing two questions.  
I asked who he was. Before this I could not tell you if my father was the one to tear up or not, but upon asking my second question he started to cry. The doctors put me through numerous rounds of testing on top of physical therapy. Not only was my memory lost, but my legs had nearly been decapitated. Fortunately, I came from a wealthy family. One who had the best surgeons in the world patch my legs together. The end result was a year of rehabilitation and nearly symmetrical scars that ran from above my knees to just above my hip bones. There was a rod in my left thigh that caused some mild discomfort enough to discourage me in returning to my track days.  
Though that was not the worst of it. My second question to my father had been “Who am I?”. For the next few months he made me repeat it with him every day.  
“My name is Claire Milcah Bricet. I am 26 years old. I was recently in a plane crash and have lost my memory.”  
This mantra was only the beginning because in my mind versus those who knew the previous Claire Bricet were in for a shock. For the first few months it was only my father and step-mother who came to visit me no one else was allowed to visit. This revelation was not puzzling to me. Most people would ask do I have friends? Do I have a husband? What about kids? I asked none of those questions and instead sought shelter inside myself. The only entertainment was staring out the window of my hospital room wondering who I was. 

My answer came one day when an unexpected visitor came into my room right after lunch time. She was gorgeous…at first. The typical long blonde hair perfectly styled. Designer dress touching an even more expensive bag at her side. When those sunglasses dipped from her nose revealing all the makeup and botox her face encountered, a shiver ran down my spine. Immediately I could tell this woman was not a friend of mine. She dropped her bag on the foot of my bed and sat down. The conversation started off normally. She at least had the decent mannerisms for that. It was not until a lull in the conversation when she paused and asked me to take a good look into her eyes to see if I remembered. Not really concentrating I just shook my head and apologized. That was when the beauty started to fall. 

She cackled, “Oh Milcah I have been waiting to see if the rumors are true and they are. You are just a former shell of yourself. Here…” she reached into her bag and pulled out a folder. “They wanted to me watch your reaction, but you already gave me what I wanted.” She then stood up and walked out the room with her unbecoming laugh.

The documents inside the folder were not surprising only horrifying. The first was an article of the plane crash, the devastation it had caused. The caption neatly summarized the events

“Everyone dead except for Claire Milcah Bricet, CEO of RadX. The lone survivor.”

I continued sifting through the folder. Pieces of my life. Mostly editorials of the high end and young executive Claire Milcah Bricet also known as Milcah of the Underworld. Roughly my middle name meant Queen, so I was essentially a tyrant. My step-mother visited me before father did after the mysterious lady left those documents. When my step-mother came into the room I could only beg her to tell me who I really was. The Queen of the Underworld was a well-educated, sophisticated, flashy, and cut throat woman. She was a demon in the business world not afraid of breaking hearts or figuratively slashing tires. When my step-mother told me the story of my life I could only look down at the picture one reflection my memory lost. She was wrapped in elegant clothing, dripping in designer jewelry, and styled better than a Hollywood celebrity, but her eyes…they were dead. 

Starting that day, I took the advice of the woman who visited me and became a shell of my former self. My new personality was a 180. Shy, timid, unsure. Somehow this new identity set my mind at ease. There would be no expectations to amount to. No looking behind my back every day. From now on I was going to thank the universe for breathing reality into me instead of the fakeness Milcah relished. 

This pact to honor reality was easy for someone who had no previous knowledge of living. Once I was cleared to move back home I asked my father to sell off my apartment and belongings. I was going to start fresh and live a new life. A good life. My father easily agreed and before he wished me goodbye to the new country I was going to call home he kissed me on the forehead and said “Claire don’t run too far. You will have to face your past soon.” I could only nod and take his advice.

To honor my father the first thing I did was get in contact with a distant uncle. He was an eccentric real estate mogul taking this city by storm. Though he insisted a young individual like myself should be finding love in the city center, he gave in and found something a little farther out. I was however only a train ride to the city heart. As my uncle gave me the tour he let me in on a little secret that delighted my heart. This place used to belong to my grandmother. The sentimental value killed me and I immediately moved in.

The small 4-bedroom house did have a few new renovations such as a grand master bedroom and bathroom on the first floor, but was dusty due to the lack of use in the past decade. So my first task over the next few weeks was cleaning afterwards I would have to make good on the promise to my father; not run from my demons. This meant getting a job. First I was going to live a little and make it on my own. 

That part seemed easier said than done. I first got a job at a coffee shop, but realized would not make ends meet. My overall goal was to be free of my previous life savings (now had been put into a trust fund at my behest) and instead use my living wage. This meant cheap clothing, cheap food, and cheap beer. One night as I just finished cleaning the long deck jutting from my house, I took a moment to crack a beer and dangle my feet off the edge. I had sweated through my t-shirt and overalls, but as the fireflies danced to the sunset I could only imagine how empty the girl in my past had been. Had she ever cleaned a house and drank cheap beer? Probably not. She would never enjoy these moments and I was glad of it. 

A few months’ later money was growing tighter. An odd thing happened. A woman named Aisley Maddow – a human resource headhunter for EchoS gave me a call stating her higher ups wanted me to interview for an opened position. I agreed to it, but was very afraid my former self would lunge out. She would be back in the center of the city after all. How long would it be until she craved power? There was no way new Claire was going to give this to her and instead continue on her submissive way. 

My attitude changed about accepting the job came when I drained my new meager savings on the account of the neighbor’s cat, CoCo. That dumb cat the little girl next door was so attached to had swallowed a whole bird. I was inside cracking open an afternoon beer when the little girl ran over and pounded on the screen. She was hysterical at the fact CoCo was choking in the garden and going to die. Without any hesitation I ran outside and scooped the cat into my arms. The only mode of transportation I had was an old beaten up bike. It would have to do, CoCo in the basket, myself peddling and the little girl standing on rods jutting from the back axle. There was no choice to leave her as she was home alone. 

We did make quite the scene. Pedestrians and the occasional car kept craning their necks to see if a camera crew was following us. With all the stares I only peddled faster and thank goodness for it because we made it in time. The veterinarian gave us the news; a chunk of indigestible bird was in the stomach and surgery was required. I had to pay ahead of time. Shortly after CoCo went into surgery two officers showed up. One screamed at me for reckless bike riding while the other just rubbed the back of his neck and sheepishly said I was a hero. Apparently CoCo was a neighborhood treasure. 

Once the officer who I called good cop talked the other out of giving me a ticket, the little girls grandparents came rushing in and praised me for quick thinking. They regaled me that the little girl who was also named Clare (but spelled differently) had lost her parents with only CoCo left behind. I could sympathize and even mentioned that I had lost my memory, something that I rarely did. They offered to pay me back, but said it would take some time. I rejected this and after much prodding agreed to the occasional casserole or watching Clare from time to time. So began my first new relationship. 

The Ballad of CoCo is important. This is the only life I can remember and I would not have it any other way. This meant getting into these sorts of trouble regularly, but it was worth it for the little girl next door to have more time with the beloved cat. This also meant more time with her lost parents. Childhood was so precious. Tears would spring to my eyes because there was no remembering my childhood. I had only been alive for two years. A girl trapped in a woman’s body. The previous Claire robbed me and this was the only thing that had made me angry. 

‘What if the I woke up and I had been a nice person? What I did not step on people to get to the top?” 

There were a lot of what-ifs and not enough answers. Though I was angry and drunk when asking these questions, I would quickly sober up when a voice (not mine) would reach back out,

“Only the weak elicit sympathy.” 

My new self decided on burying these thoughts The next two months would be spent in a new environment with new acquaintances and making sure no old demons would arise. 

Little did I know there was someone waiting to shake up the life of the new Claire Bricet. It would eventually make me face the other voice inside my head. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Present Day:

The house to the left of mine contained another interesting neighbor. Her name is Elsa and she lives alone with her grade school son, Teddy. Our houses share a long stretch of garden with some trees, multitude of shrubbery, and some privacy shading though not completely separating the boundaries of the houses. My grandmother was very much into the community as a whole, but loved the bond she shared with her neighbors. Just as little Clare would, Teddy also came over and they both played together running back and forth in the yard. My house the center of attention. When Elsa first realized he was doing this she reprimanded him. When Teddy turned and give me the biggest dough eyes asking if he could run through my yard I couldn’t say no.

As he ran off in search of L.G. (little Clare), Elsa gave a light punch into my arm and asked if I had any beer. We sat on the porch, beers in hand, and laughed as the kids played within eye sight. Ever since then Elsa was my drinking buddy and tonight we went down to a local diner complete with a well-stocked bar. 

“God Claire are you already drunk?”

“Nope! Nope! Nope!” I began my chanting. 

“Alright just one more and back to the house.”

I pouted. There would be no objections however since this was on Elsa’s dime. She also treated me to a small dinner and for that I was grateful. I was a lucky girl today. Usually my meals were infrequent and mostly a mixture of rice noodles and vegetables. Tonight I had a giant beef steak and it was marvelous. 

After consuming more drinks than I normally do, Elsa propped me on her shoulder. We began the short walk to our houses and upon walking me to my porch she kissed me on the cheek goodbye. 

“I’ll be by in the morning to wake you up. God knows when you drink you don’t wake up for another day.”

I only murmured kissing her back on the cheek and giggling. Elsa seemed to enjoy me more when I was happy and cheerful Claire instead of staring into space Claire. Sometimes when we were out in the garden she would catch me staring into the distance. 

“C’mon Claire Pear in you go.” She pushed open my front door.

“Elsa, I’m ok go home to Teddy his grandma must be tired.”

“Bossy Claire finally comes out.” She laughed and released my shoulder. “See you tomorrow!”

I waved at her as she bounced off the porch. I sighed it was time for bed. No need for dinner. The lights were on and blaring in my face.

“I forgot to turn off the lights!” I giggled. Maybe I was more drunk than I thought.

“We’ll drink and drink and drink and drink some more. We’ll dance and sing and fight some more…” I sang the same line over and over now stripping out of my clothes. My coat thrown on the kitchen island. My top now on the couch. Socks strewn through the hallway. My pants one foot, now the next off and tossed onto the….

I stopped. There was a suitcase on my bed. I went over to inspect it not lifting the contents. It looked like mine. Something caught my eye. There was a pale blue lingerie set laying right next to it. 

“What the fuck? Oops!” I covered my mouth giggling at the swear word that escaped from me. 

Maybe the un-drunk Claire was planning a getaway? 

“Oh my god! Am I in the wrong house?!” I turned and ran down the hallway back into the kitchen opening the fridge. My face fell only to find a few yogurt containers and last night’s left overs. Secretly I wish I had been in the wrong house because the fridge would have been raided. 

Perplexed, I walked back to my room and stared at the suitcase coupled with the lingerie. When I finally decided to open the suitcase there was nothing in it. Even more curious. This mystery would have to be solved after a shower. With a hint of gusto, I scooped up the lingerie. It was a beautiful light blue and nearly transparent. Something I would never buy. Plus the panties were more like a thong, not in my usual wardrobe. I smelled them just to make sure they weren’t previously worn. An odd habit, but some days my room would go for days with clothing strewn about. The only smell was the luxurious scent of roses. 

“Must be that new detergent I picked up.”

My next goal was the shower. It was one of the few modern renovations done by my uncle. The master bath was attached to the master bedroom, but also on the back yard side of the house. Sometimes when it was late at night and I knew Teddy or L.G. would not be running in the garden I could open the window door. This would give the feel of an indoor/outdoor shower. An abnormally tall privacy fence backed along the property with a litter of trees. No one would see me especially if I kept the light off and only let the moonlight filter in. 

The other advantage to this was the breeze gently whipping its way across the garden and into the shower. The warm steam contrasted by the licks on cold on my skin would have me sober in an instant. I was in a particularly good mood tonight for it was Friday. Monday would have to wait because the lazy mornings and even lazier afternoons were in my plans for this weekend. I stood underneath the stream of the shower, closing my eyes and letting the sound of the water pounding against the floor relax me.

As I turned my fingers through my hair gently massaging my scalp there a light touch on my lower back.

“Hmm stupid bug” the only downfall to having an outside shower. Sometimes the bugs would be attracted to the water, but as soon as was going to turn around for the water to wash it away….”

“There you are.” 

My eyes flew open at the voice. My feet in unison started to scramble backwards. As they did something caught my foot and I began the slow tumble sideways. Though I didn’t. Arms wrapped around my body pulling me back.

The voice behind me grunted “Be more careful. You could have hit your head if I wasn’t here.” 

“Am I dreaming?” 

My muscles were now rigid not able to process what exactly had caught me in its snare. Blood was starting to pulse through my head closing in over my ears. The water droplets from the shower heads were growing louder. My senses were heightening, but I could not move from wall that held me against it. 

“I can’t move?”

“Claire.” A light touch on my chin twisted my neck sideways and up. 

My breath drew in. “This must be a dream. He looks so real.” The alcohol in my system mixed with the dying fear was beginning to leave my system. For some reason I could distinctly see the softness in his eyes as he looked down into mine. A touch against the back of my arm moved down to my side. Just then I realized I was naked. 

“Ah! Get out of here!” I snapped pushing him away. 

He was graceful enough to not fall and backed up. His soft eyes now turned and a small frown on his lips appeared. I backed myself against the wall crouching down and using my arms to cover the nakedness. I closed my eyes.

“Go, go, go”

There was a slap against the floor. I opened my eyes even more horrified. The man had just taken off his shirt letting it fall. He was now unbuttoning the top of his pants. I wanted to stay there dumbfounded. The removal of his shirt was blinding. His body lean and muscular all at the same time. 

“What are you doing?!” I squeaked. 

“Hmmm?” he looked up from undoing his button. “It’s a shower?” He said this in a questioning manner as if there is no reason for me to be puzzled. 

His pants fell to the ground. There was nothing underneath. 

“Ah!” I yelled now stumbling to rise. I was able to grab the corner the shower that led to the opening. With one final push I was standing up and almost out of the shower when I felt a hand reach onto my shoulder pulling me back. 

“Claire stop! Your uncle is letting me stay here!” 

“What? My uncle is letting you stay here?” the words came out slowly. 

“Yes. Let me finish up. I’ve been traveling all afternoon, then I will explain. Now go and don’t forget your clothes.” His teeth gently bit down on my ear as his hands rested on my lower back.  
A small gasp escaped my throat. 

“Oh? Maybe this was too much for you.”

His somberness when you he said that was also laced with a mischief curiosity. Not wanting anything further or weirder to occur, I listened to his first command by hurrying out of the shower. Grabbing a fresh towel, I made it to the other side of the bathroom door closing it between us. 

The walk to the kitchen was slow attempting to take in what just happened. I reached for the phone my fingers laying on top.

“There is a strange man in my house. Naked and touching me. Why did he get in the shower with me? He looked like he stepped out of a movie.”

I reprimanded myself. The heat that already rose to my cheeks was now pouring over. “Don’t think about it stupid.” 

The truth was – since I lost my memory I never had sex. Never done anything to myself or even with a man for that matter. There was a part of me that knew the previous Claire had lovers. On the other hand, the new Claire, was a virgin. We shared a body, but I could not remember feeling this way or being felt up. My cheeks grew redder.

“Shit!” I slapped my face. This would get old quick. I needed to remove this externality from my life and only one way to find out why it came to be. 

I picked up the phone and dialed my uncle’s number. It seemed to ring and ring until finally someone answered.

“Hello this is Juli!”

“Uncle!? this is Claire, there is some weird guy..” my voice cut off as the voicemail continued.

“I am finding my one true love out in the gardens of Greece. The hills are quite lovely this time of year peppered with the delectable crisp berries that will become my Chardonnay…”

The voicemail continued for another few minutes describing the trip my uncle was on. I was about to hang up because I knew the eccentric in him would not be checking any messages. He probably lost his phone by this point. Then I heard it.

“….and to my dear Claire. Your present should be arriving tonight. Make sure to take good care of it as it will be your responsibility for the next few months. You’re so welcome honey. I don’t believe you have ever sampled something as divine as this before. Ta-Ta! My dear Queen please play nice with your new toy. Beep! This caller’s voicemail box is completely full. Please dial…..”

The phone slid from my ear. “No there is no way he meant him…”

“Did you reach your uncle, Claire?” 

I yelped dropping the phone and turned my back against the bar counter. The air around him was non-chalant. The towel around his hair was rubbed in to soak up the water from the shower.

“The shower.” saliva was starting to build in my mouth. 

After drying the towel fell around his neck. A wave of beautiful hazelnut and caramel streaks filtered through his hair. His eyes equally as rich and complex met my gawking stare.

“Claire?”

“Who are you? Why are you here!”

“Guess you didn’t reach him. Here would you mind taking a seat?”

“What?! This isn’t your house?! I will stand right here.”

“Claire, do you know who I am?”

That line. Those words. They would always cut me deeply. I did run away from those demons. I wanted to start a new life where nobody would ask me that question. Just as I could count 1…2…3…4 tears would come to me. My throat would start to close up. 

“Am I supposed to know who you are?”

Silence. It was odd. A flash of something came across his face, but was quickly suppressed. He titled his head and smiled. 

“Let’s get to know each other. Juli, wanted me to live here. He said I needed to monitor your alcohol intake. I can see you do a number on yourself on a regular basis.”

“Huh?” “What do you mean?”

He started his stalk forward. Although I tried to remain still my body was tensing the closer he moved. 

“You can answer from there?” my demand was meant to be more firm, but it came out meek and timid. He took the opportunity. 

“Oh?” In one motion he was upon me. His body (more specifically his hips) were pinning me against the counter. His hands down upon the counter. Me with no reliable escape. “You should know, Claire, I don’t follow commands very well.” His fingers raised to my shoulders and began twirling a strand of hair. “Do you?”

“I-“ nothing else came out. His question was causing friction between both sides of my mind. 

“No need to worry” he began. He must be sensing my internal conflicts. Aisley and even Elsa had said my facial expression were easy to read. “You only need to follow mine.” His fingers trailed up my shoulder dotting my neck. They lifted my chin. His thumb trailed my lips. His eyes set on my returned gaze. His lips moved closer to me. Inches away. My eyelids were drifting downwards. It seemed like an eternity passed.

“Claire go get dressed. Your clothes in the bathroom.” His hand and he pulled away. 

“He can’t command me.” “Who are you?”

“Clothes first” the tip of his fingers reached out and landed on the top of the towel. He brushed against edge where cotton and breast laid. 

“Your name.” I grabbed his wrist.

His left eyebrow raised. A laugh escaped him “Are you sure you don’t know my name?”

“Yes. I wouldn’t be asking otherwise.”

“It will cost you.”

“Cost me what?”

Only a smile came to his lips. In the moment after he bent down and pulled me forward. My legs were picked up from underneath with my stomach now lying on his shoulder. He stood up and made the short walk from the kitchen back to the master bedroom.

“Wait! What are you doing!? Put me down!” I gave a few pounds of my fist onto his back, but it did not seem to faze him. 

The door of my bedroom was open as he walked in. He stopped at the bed and squatted down letting my butt fall back onto the edge of the mattress.

“What was that for?!” I slammed my fist on the mattress and scooted up further.

Surprise rocked me as he did not answer, but parted my knees. His head bowed and I felt his lips touch the skin at the top of my right knee. The shock of him kissing my knee caused the opportune moment to pull me closer to the edge of bed. There was something wet dragging itself across my skin up to my mid-thigh. My arms did not want to work, they could only hold myself up, wasted on the sides while his tongue licked my skin.

“No. He will see my scars” This trivial thought crossed my mind while I responded by trying to close my legs. His tongue retracted.

“Let’s get to know each other Claire.”

“Huh?” “I don’t even know your name!” I looked down into his eyes. His straight lips now turning upwards into a smile. 

His voice turned deeper “First this needs to go.” In a quick motion the towel was ripped off my body. I responded by attempting to cover myself. His response was pinning my wrists to the bed. He lifted himself for our eyes to be on the same level. 

“Do you want to know what my name is? This is what it will cost.”

My legs and arms started to quiver underneath his gaze. I had thought the alcohol left my system, but now my decision making was beginning to blur once again. If I said no he would more than likely back off. There is no way he would upset my uncle by doing this to his niece. But why was he doing this to me? How can he be so comfortable with my body?

“Claire? You’re starting to fade.”

“Kiss me.” My cheeks flushed. My breathing was quickening. For a moment the pressure on my wrists was released catching him off guard. Though he regained his composure. 

“As you wish.” 

His lips met mine. His tongue parted my lips caressing mine. I should have refused this intensity, but something deep inside me wanted this. I wanted my loneliness to be erased. To connect with someone once again. He pulled back. Our mixed saliva was dripping from his mouth. His one hand released from my wrists now trailing down my neck to the top of my breast. His mouth followed. Leaning once again his kisses trailed down my lips down to my neck and found their home on my hard nipple. As he was sucking on me he moved to sit on the bed. He pulled me onto his lap my thighs resting in the opposite direction as his. 

His tongue continued the swirl during the shifting and gave way to my rising moans. His other hand now completely released my wrists causing them to drop. He broke away from my nipple returning his tongue between my lips. His fingers now strolled their way down my breasts, casually rubbing my nipples, then moving down my abdomen. Two fingers traced their way down to my clit. He pressed in a gentle circle. 

My voice couldn’t be contained. I arched my back starting the moaning cries as his fingers circled. 

“Claire open your eyes.” 

“Uh.” was my continued response. I barely opened my eyes to which his fingers responded by making the smallest of moves downward. He entered me. 

“Uhhhh!” my voice was vibrating through every muscle. 

I saw his eyes wander away from mine tracing the lines of my body. 

“Breath Claire.” He reminded me, but continued the assault inside me. 

I breathed in one last time giving a final arch of my back. My body had felt like it needed to release something and it did. I moaned, my legs twitched, and my vulva had a massive wave rock through it. The tension left my body. Everything seemed to sink in that moment. 

The breath upon my forehead and the kiss on my eyebrow brought me back up. His lips found mine once more, beginning the same process over again. I pulled away not sure what I had exactly felt.

“Is that what it feels like?”

“Hmm, what it feels like?” 

He pulled his lips away his eyes now further away looking down at me. At first his eyebrow raised, his face perplexed. The heat in my cheeks started to increase for the stupid question. Some realization must have crossed his mind for his lips curved into a smile. This expression made me heart skip a beat. He was definitely the most gorgeous man I ever saw.

“Oh my. Claire… are you telling me this is your first time?”

“Um… I don’t remember anything before this.” My words were broken from the deep breaths. Still recovering. At first I thought my timid answer was going to upset him, but once again the atmosphere between us turned even hotter. 

He pushed me off his lap as he moved onto his stomach. His hands now on my knees pulling them apart. 

“No!”

He looked up a pout crossed his lips. “No?” The changes in him came quick. His eyes now darkened and the lights of the city playing off the angles of his cheeks. His lips turned into that smile. That one smile that could instantly disarm any woman. 

“It’s not every day I get to sample a reborn virgin Claire. I’m going to make you come for the second time.” 

He made good on his promise. He started by dipping his tongue onto my inner thigh working his way up. Circling. Teasing. His fingers ran across the scars on my left thigh. My breathing was rapid; my moans louder than they were before. He stopped and whispered.

“Claire, you’re going to come again so quickly.” His tongue landed on my vulva spreading wide across and motioning up towards my clit. He found it beginning his assault slower than his fingers had been. 

“Uh… uh..uh.” I couldn’t. That sensation I had felt with his fingers was intensified with the dipping of his tongue into me then back on top of my clit. 

“Say it Claire. Tell me what you are doing. Out loud.”

“I..” his tongue flicked against me, keeping the pace. He was not going to break the pace. He kept the rhythm pushing me over the edge. I felt the tensing, my legs started to shake.

“I’m.” 

“Say it Claire.”

“I’m coming!” my body released the built tension. Starting from where his tongue remained in a much slower motion a wave spread across. 

My breathing was still rapid. My muscles were still quivering at the sensations. My head and back still arch on the armrest of the sofa. As he released his tongue from my vulva, his lips were starting the slow climb from my thigh to knee. A moan escaped my lips. 

“I’m going to break…”

“Claire?” his kisses stopped. My eyes opened now looking at him between my legs. A smile was crossing his lips. 

“Are you going to make love to me?” 

“I just did Claire.” 

“I meant…”

“No not tonight.” He moved from my legs bringing his body to hover right above mine and found my lips easily. His fingers started to run through my hair as the kissing intensified. 

My own hands moved to rest on his chest. I could feel he was muscular underneath the shirt which started to excite me. My right hand left and moved down to the edge of his shirt. As I scrapped against his ribbed stomach he grabbed my wrist. 

“No Claire.” He broke away from my mouth. 

My bottom lip quivered. He was going to outright reject me. Say that I disgusted him. That he did not want someone so broken and physically scarred. How could I get my hopes up that someone actually wanted the new me. I am a shell of my former self. Tears began to form threatening to pierce my eyelashes. I turned my head not wanting him to see. 

He sighed and brought my hand to rest over his heart. “Claire look at me.”

I shook my head not wanting to obliged his request.

“Fine then I won’t stop until you do.” 

In one swift motion he went down on me again. I came then fell asleep without one more word spoken between us. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Her breathing is steady. She seems content with those full lips readily parted. They were tempting me to bite down. Inviting me to trail mine against her neck followed by her perky nipples and finally down to her clit. I wanted her to moan for me as she did earlier. Her sounds nearly sent me over edge, but I stopped just in time.

Her head moved slightly shifting the pillow that my elbow rested on. I am studying her from above as she sleeps. Tempted, my index finger hovers above her forehead gently tucking some strands behind her ear. 

“I must have satisfied her a little too well.” 

As I watch her sleep in peaceful bliss a small sound escapes her. Minutes go by and her eyelids are slightly twitching. Her head rolls to the other side. Beads of sweat are starting to form on forehead. 

“Claire.” I whisper touching her cheek. 

She is having a nightmare. I wonder if my presence triggered her memory. If she were to remember that day…. before the accident… I would have to disappear from her life. That must remain a secret.


	2. Radiating with Heat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE NOTE: this chapter contains Adult Content
> 
> Author Note: Listening to music can inspire the characters I write about. One that I am enjoying is Almost Back by Kaskade, Phoebe Ryan, & Lokii. It may not reflect this exact chapter, but its perfect for the whole story! You’ll see what I mean ☺

Chapter 2: Radiating with Heat

Word Count: 7743

 

Footprints disappeared behind me in the white sand. My body was present, but my mind suffered a separating sensation. The path before me a bleached white and one singular color blending together the sky and ocean. The sun above blared bright so the circular shape could not be made out. It is disorienting. The gritty sand globules grated between my toes, but managed to keep me weighed down to the earth. My mind shifted back and forth just as the waves, simultaneously afraid of floating away into the never ending sky. 

“Here… Where is here?” I stopped confused at my current orientation in the world. Pieces of my hair moved gently against my cheeks. The ocean was calm. Waves tickled the sand refusing to crash. 

“I lost something.” 

Jingle. Jingle. Jingle. The tinkling sound of a small bell came from the distance. The sound kissed my ear lobe moving behind to the other side. The sound repeated registering to my system as a sound always found in nature. 

“What did I lose?”

Jingle. Jingle. The sound stopped. My head lolled to the side. Eyes diverted down to the sand. 

“A cat?”

A cat it may be, but one not so ordinary. Stunning with long white hair. Each strand was perfectly groomed on top of the next one. The face not squat, barely able to contain the elegant eyes that swooped in a round manner. The corners of the blue crystal iris’ angled into a black line cutting across to the ears. A small gold bell, suspended on a translucent wire, laid in-between the layers of its regal coat. 

“Ah. That’s what I lost.”

“CoCo.” My voice projected out loud. The unearthliness or the foreignness of the sound caused a hint of fear to rise at the unknown sensation. It was my voice, but it was not. 

“CoCo?” I said again only able to release one word. I wanted to ask if CoCo had been seen. That is who I was looking for. 

The white cat titled its head.

“Where is CoCo?” the question appeared in my mind. 

The white cat understood now, turning around its tail curled into a perfect question mark. It started to walk as did I. Like me, this cat left no traces of its prints behind in the sand. 

Suddenly the white cat lurched forward. It did not run, but started a pattern of vaporizing into the heat then materializing a few meters ahead. I picked up speed attempting to catch up. My legs were heavy. My feet were hot. The sun beating down was causing me to sweat. The sound of the waves started to pick up. 

“Claire” a whisper surrounded my body. 

“This isn’t right” As my vision turned towards the ocean I could see it was motionless there was no movement of the salted water.

The air started to disappear from my lungs. A sound (not the waves) grumbling from above was taking life from me. The sound started to grow louder humming an artificial tune as if a vacuum just turned on.

“Claire.” The reverberations bounced against my ankle. I tripped.

Sand cut into the palms of my hand as if I just fell onto a previously broken mirror. I tried to scream out at the burning sensation spread into my arms. I made the mistake of turning up my palms to view the cuts. 

Flames ignited around me.

 

Present Day:

“Claire. Claire…”

“Claire!”

My consciousness awoke at the beckoning of a booming voice. My fingers grasped at the now long gone blanket that was ripped away from my body.

“Shit Claire so thats what you’re always hiding underneath those baggy clothes.” 

I opened my eyes and slowly allowed my eyelashes to filter the scene before me. Elsa was standing over me the blanket in her hand. Her lips held onto a lop-sided grin as she now motioned to sit down. Something touched the top of my thigh with a pinch.

“Sexy!” 

“Ahhhh!” I screamed shooting myself up and once again attempting to find the warmth of the blanket. I realized as shifting in bed my clothes from last night never made back onto my body. 

“C’mon Claire we are both women here. No need to be ashamed!”

“You’re just as bad as him!” I retorted as sleep still hung on my eyelids.

At the remark Elsa’s eyebrow raised. “Him? Who is him?”

“Isn’t he out there?”

“Hmmmm.” Elsa made a fist bringing it to rest underneath her chin. She tilted her gaze away from me. Her facial expression was passive maybe even slightly confused. I misread her. She snapped back to me placing her other hand next to my foot. A mischievous look spread up through her cheekbones raising them even higher. 

“Do you mean that absolutely delicious piece of candy in the backyard?”

“What?”

“Oh you know what I mean and you heard correctly, just as I heard you last night.” her fingers began to dance up alongside my naked leg. 

“What?!” my throat would only allow that one strangled word to escape. 

“No need to play coy. When I dropped you off at your house about ten minutes Iater I heard you scream. I thought another bug had got you since I could hear the shower. Then I started to hear some voices so I came over to the back porch. Couldn’t you believe the sight that I saw!”

“What sight did you see?” 

“That piece of candy picked you right up over his shoulder!” She touched the scar on my left leg causing a jolt and squeak. “Of course I was concerned and opened the door. I tiptoed down the hallway and leaned against the door to make sure you were ok…” her voice was growing quieter as if she had reached the most important part of a Broadway production. My arms dropped towards my lap. I was stupidly enthralled as she continued, “...Just as I was about to open the door…” Her voice now boomed knocking an ache into the deep recesses of my forehead.

“...You started to moan! He was no doubt sucking your clit off like a Jolly Rancher!” The tips of her finger flicked at my nipple.

Mortified at her statement and the sting she afflicted on me I brought my arms around me and screeched “No he did not!” 

“Oh-ho!” She brought her hand across her mouth and started cackling madly. 

“Elsa!” 

“Don’t deny it Claire Pear. Besides….” Her laughing subsided as she laid back both elbows on the bed “it’s no good to live your life inside always staring out the window.”

“Elsa…” I said softly. Her somberness was a drastic change from just moments before.

“Besides” she smiled as if this is what she originally meant to say before taking a serious approach “All the neighborhood ladies in the backyard are vying to steal him away! C’mon its almost lunch time. You slept quite a while.” There was a wink from Elsa and a dreading moan escaping from myself. 

“Alright.” There was no use fighting it.

Elsa departed from the room. I decided to skip the shower and just put on a fresh shirt coupled with overalls. If he was in the backyard and the whole female population in the neighborhood was gathered around, he was no doubt out there doing yardwork. That meant I was going to help as well. The forecast for this weekend also meant I would be sweaty and dirty in under ten minutes. 

“He probably doesn’t have a shirt on.”

The memory of him last night in the shower caused the heat to rise in my cheeks. I slapped them. It was definitely too early to think about this though it was good to have some preparation. To my right, about two houses down, a group of ladies were standing in a half circle looking towards the fence. From my angle I could tell the gates had been opened to the forest beyond and no doubt contained the exciting scene. Elsa and Mrs. Aberthall (Little Clare’s grandmother) were among the women in the circle chatting away. Mrs. Aberthall was touched on the shoulder and then led promptly away into the owner’s house. Elsa now started to walk towards the fence. 

I puffed my bangs out of my eyes and stuffed my hands in the pockets of my overalls as I casually strolled through the grass. The blades sticking between my toes felt just right. Dry, but still springy from the sprinklers that worked overnight. 

“Good morning young lady!” a woman far older than rest, rounded the corner of Mrs. Aberthall’s house. 

“Good morning Ms. Perry!” I immediately snapped to attention by taking my hands out of my pocket and straightening my spine.

“Now now dear. No need to act as if the Queen herself arrived, you can continue to slouch all you would like. Though that is going to give you back problems in the future. Look at mine. Straight as a tooth pick from years of being aware of my spinal health.” 

Ms. Perry, an 80 something year youngin’ (as she claims), is one of the oldest in this neighborhood and perhaps the richest. Many could easily see this by venturing down the end of our secluded street to the only house with gates in the front driveway. If you look past the overgrown trees a glimpse of nearly a century ago can be inhaled. Although Ms. Perry has had the pleasure of growing up in wealth she does not keep herself secluded from the neighbors. She is the opposite of a shut in, the local eccentric that takes every opportunity to pass down her wisdom of health and proper etiquette. 

Numerous times she has caught me in my garden improperly hunched over or sitting down on the deck in a slouching position. This begins her health rant about the spine and improper use of my “musculature stature”. The worst is when she slaps her hands on my shoulders and forces me into a deep squatting position for at least ten minutes. Once she made me do it for thirty minutes until my legs went numb. When I told Elsa she laughed at how nice I was and suggested the next time she says “spinal health” I counter with the phrase “Eat Shit.” Today I was going to take the far nicer approach. 

“What brings you by Ms. Perry?” I had to cut her off.

“You must have heard dear. They are removing that beautiful oak tree from beyond the fence.”

It was not surprising Ms. Perry would be here. Besides her affinity for spinal health she is quite the nature lover and would also need a say in the gardening or in this case tree removal. No one seemed to argue because a little known fact is that the street we lived on and the forest beyond were in her jurisdiction. The details are hazy to me, but though Ms. Perry does not necessarily own all of the land or houses she is the defacto HOH. 

“No one cares about that dead tree Mari. It’s the new spectacle that just arrived!” from behind Ms. Perry another lady rounded the house. It was none other than her younger (only by a couple years) sister. 

“I’ll be the judge if its dead or not.”

“Pfffttt and how are you going to tell? You have been squinting more and more the past year! You even tried to feed that poor black cat some spaghetti a few days ago. Thought it was a dog!” the other Ms. Perry countered. 

“It was a dog! Your eyesight is far worse than mine!” Mari turned on her heel and for an old woman hastily crossed the remainder of the yard towards the fence. 

“Don’t be worried about my eyesight at least my ass hasn’t fallen ten inches to the ground!” she shouted at her sister.

Not responding to the last comment the sister that remained in my presence now turned her attention towards me. Ms. Chartreuse Perry, or commonly referred to as Charry by her friends, is the complete opposite of her sister. Though I am not entirely sure of the backstory, Marigold Perry (Mari), at some point in time became an over zealous hippie. The hippie part referring to saving things such as oak trees and the over zealous part? Trying to involve everyone and anyone including the neighborhood squirrels. Charry on the other hand has always been like Elsa. Calling it as she sees it, but not so self absorbed that she cannot see the bigger picture. Charry was my favorite sister.

“Now Claire, the weather is beginning to turn into the furnace of hell. Could you please help me to the deck? The humidity is starting to make my knees ache.”

“Of course.” I stuck out my elbow allowing her to grab on. 

Unlike her sister, Charry was in worse health. She was a little shorter due to the hunching of her spine and indulged in unhealthier eating habits. Though she wasn’t obese there was some plumpness underneath. It was a respectable amount for someone her age. 

The deck was only a short walk through the grass. As we stepped onto the few wooden stairs Ms. Aberthall and two other women appeared through the sliding doors trays of drinks in hand. I picked a nearby chair sliding it out for Ms. Perry when Mrs. Grinweir gently touched my arm. 

“Claire, thank you so much for allowing us to steal Aren’s help. We have been waiting months to finally remove that dead tree!” Mrs. Grinweir, owner of the house and surrogate owner of the fore-mentioned dead oak, placed three lemonades on the table. 

“Aren.” I picked one up taking a few sips of the thirst quenching liquid. 

“Ms. Perry it is such a delight you and your sister could make it out today.”

“Quite.” Charry picked up the glass tipping a small amount into her mouth. “I don’t suppose it will be such a delight when Mari starts bitching about how you mistreated the tree and that’s why it is dead.”

The sugary lemonade started to dribble from my mouth as I attempted to close my jaw. Charry had a reputation of point blank honesty and it was the worst for Mrs. Grinweir. I would have to remind myself later to ask Elsa what the backstory to this particular grudge. Sometimes it would go for as long as a half hour before Charry would give a dig at her pseudo fencing opponent, but today the humidity must have been grating her worse than she would admit. Mrs. Grinweir could see it as well.

“Now that I recall… the tree is actually on your property. Should I have an aborist come out and evaluate?” she lowered her mask now stepping her right foot forward. 

Ms. Perry put the glass down on the table “My dear a better idea would be to have a property adjustor come out once again in order to see whose tree that belongs to. I can recommend one in particular. A nice young man. David O’Neil I believe?” 

Mrs. Grinweir slammed the tray holding the rest of the lemonade onto the table. Droplets of the sugary substance rocked furtively back and forth some unable to be contained. Apparently Charry struck her right in the chest with a deadly sabre. 

“There is no need Chartreuse. Your sister will determine the best course of action.” Her grip tightened on the tray then released. “Excuse me I must finish the sandwiches for lunch.” She turned and departed back through the sliding doors. I could barely make out the sabre that had pierced all the way through. 

“What a dumb ass” Charry said before sipping the lemonade.

I choked on my own drink that was almost gone. I was not able to do much, but continue sipping during that awkward exchange. Now I would definitely have to ask Elsa who exactly David O’Neil is to elicit such a response. My thoughts did not linger long as another match was brewing just beyond the fence. 

“Claire, please bring the drinks to the gentlemen. They will need the sugar buzz in order to deal with my sister.” Charry pushed the tray of lemonade towards me. 

“Of course.”

“Wait a moment. Better get the young gent to help you. Teddy Anthony your great Auntie needs you to help Auntie Claire!” Charry screamed at the top of her lungs looking no-where in particular. 

It only took a few seconds for Teddy’s head to pop up from the edge of the deck corner. From zero to sixty he ran full speed on the ground and around the railing bounding up the stairs.

“Teddy!” I heard L.G. squeal from the spot he had previously been. She was not nearly as fast, but followed behind him tripping slightly and enviously recovering gracefully. 

“Ah look two for one! Now see here…” Charry beckoned Teddy and L.G. closer. She put her hands on Teddy’s shoulders giving him a serious glare. Even though Teddy was sharp I doubt he could tell behind the glare there was a sliver of mischief. “You see those hard working men and your mom out there?” Teddy turned to see view the people beyond the fence. “Your job is to make sure each one of them doesn’t fall prey to the hot sun or to your great great Auntie Mari. I’m not sure if the sun or if she will get them first. What do you think Teddy?” She lifted her hands from his shoulders and then proceeded to slide the tray over to Teddy. He acknowledged the action by moving closer to the table and taking the handles in each hand. 

“Auntie Mari.” He said quietly. 

“Shhhh boy she can hear you! Better get out there and appease her with some sugar!” Charry sneaked a kiss on his cheek then patted his butt as he made his way to the stairs. She laughed out loud as he now made his way down the stairs.

My eyes lifted to watch Teddy as he crossed the grass. I now went further ahead scanning the area past the fence to around the oak tree. The other Ms. Perry threw up her hands at Mr. Aberthall and Mr. Grinweir. Then he came around the tree. Not exactly as I imagined, but equally as beautiful. 

I was wrong about him not having a shirt on. Indeed, I could not see his stomach or chest that hovered naked above me last night, but his arms glistened as they started to darken under the sun. At this point the argument, still in full swing, gave Teddy, the lemonade carrier, hesitation to interrupt. Aren noticed him and waved him over bending down to one knee. I could not hear what he said, but saw a smile creeping into a lopsided grin. He stood up now motioning for Teddy towards the back of the pickup truck. As Teddy complied, Aren lifted his eyes to meet mine.

A playful and childish grin began to turn into a smoldering upturn. It was not the flick of his head beckoning me to his side, or the newness of last night, it was the atmosphere itself. An unseen force started to pull. It entered my body creating movement in my muscles. My feet, one step at a time, descended the wooden planks and fell into the thickness of the grass. Aren moved diverting his course towards the back of the truck to where Teddy stood waiting for the other adults to finish their shouting match. Aren leaned down whispering something in his ear. Teddy met my now diverted attention on him and with that he raced back towards the house passing without so much as a glance. His cheeks were bright red.

“What did you say to him?” I planted myself before Aren.

Aren picked up on the glasses of lemonade delicately placing the edge on his lips. He allowed the liquid to quickly empty through his throat. His eyes half opened looked down at me as he finished lowering the glass onto the bed of the truck. 

“I said” he leaned forward nearly touching my forehead against his own “Isn’t that the prettiest girl you have ever seen?”

I can see why the embarrassment crept through Teddy. Having someone be this straightforward and open about his thoughts would catch anyone off guard. My cheeks started to flush. I can feel them burning underneath his honeyed gaze. He caught me off guard again reaching and looping his fingers into the cut outs of my overalls. I stumbled forward my hands resting against his shirt. Less than a millimeter of cotton separated my fingers from his bare skin. He released one side of me tracing his fingers up my side. With a gentle stroke a piece of fly away hair from my temple smoothed back to my ponytail. 

“Hmm I really like this look.” There was a small snag pulling down on my hair causing me to stay enraptured in his regard.

“Aren” his name like ice-cream dripping from my tongue. I meant to reproach him. To say let me go. The unseen force that pushed into his arms had other ideas. 

“Oh? You found out my name Claire? Every time you say it you’ll have to pay a toll.”

“What?! A toll?!” my voice shaky. My mind starting to wander to the last time he said I would have to pay. 

“Don’t worry. It’s not something you haven’t already given me.”

He tugged gently on my hair once again letting the reflex of the motion to lift my head higher. His lips planted on my own and now his tongue flicked against them asking for me to part and allow him to enter. I obliged. 

The kiss was quick, but just enough to bring my eyes to a close and to start the natural lubrication that built inside my mouth. 

“This heat is really making me sweat. How about you Claire?” Elsa materialized behind me. 

I turned around to see her hands crossed over the handle of a shovel with the spade part in the ground. She leaned forward a smile dancing across her lips and high upon her cheeks. There was no chance I was going to ever live any of this down. With Aren moving into my house the two of them together would have an endless barrage of teasing. 

“He is moving in.” this set in stone phrase popped into my head. My fingers tightened on top of the cotton beneath them. 

“You do seem to be getting damp. Here.” Aren released me and stepped back. Both hands went to the bottom of his shirt then above his head peeling off the one layer between us.

“Aren! Sorry to interrupt. Can you talk some sense into Mari?” Mr. Aberthall called out in desperation. 

“Here.” Aren handed his shirt to me as he walked towards the bickering group. I could only gawk at his alluring physique. 

“It’s like you haven’t seen him naked before.” Elsa pondered.

“Um, Erm… it was dark when he came into the shower…Um, and then he had his clothes on afterwards.”

“Oh my god!” Elsa released the handle of the shovel letting it fall to the ground. She encroached on my personal face now twisting her eyebrows up into an animated expression. “Did he have his pants on too?!”

“Um… yeah.” 

“You mean he didn’t?” to finish the sentence she pinched her pointer finger and thumb together in a rather large circle and placed it by the waistband of her shorts. The next motion made it seem like she was at the beginning of blowing up a long balloon. 

“Elsa!” I swatted at her hand to get her to stop before anyone saw what she was doing.

“AHAHAHA!” she started her loud laughter and continued dodging my swipes. “Maybe you should keep him indefinitely. Not many guys would stop themselves from plunging their dipper into the honey pot.”

It is absolutely mortifying. The temperature must have risen a hundred degrees. How was I going to survive this summer? More importantly how was I going to survive the new eccentricities Aren brought into this neighborhood?

Time would only tell. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The afternoon started to turn into evening. The whole day had been filled with excitement for the neighborhood. The Perry sisters argued over the oak tree. One determined to see it saved though the scorched marks from a lightning strike continued to strangle the life from deep inside the bark. The other sister content to see it go and more interested in listening to the other ladies gossip. In turn, most of the women were gossiping about Aren. There were so many questions they asked me and I had limited answers. I could only say he knew my Uncle Julie. Finally, Charry broke it up telling them to leave me alone and that I was sure to have more news for them once I took him to bed. 

The men had a more productive day only stopping once for lunch. In the end, there was a resolution and Marigold Perry agreed the oak tree had to be removed. Slowly, but surely, the branches of the tree were cut one by one leaving only the base. I just assumed it was in the Y Chromosome that gave men the natural ability to handle machinery and work through a laborious task. However, Mr. Aberthall seemed to compliment Aren on his help and ability for stitching the logistics of the removal along. Maybe Mr. A felt a little dazzled by this man himself? A funny thought no doubt. 

The men started to clean up putting tools back into the bed of the truck. Loud thuds breaking my train of thought. Standing on the backside of where the oak tree had previously been I could not help a tinge of sadness creep into my heart.

“Why am I sad over a tree?” maybe Marigold Perry had some merit to her argument of why the tree should have stayed. 

“Its finally gone!” Elsa had her hands placed on her hips admiring the nearly ground level stump. She was the only female the men had allowed help from. 

“Yeah.” I said only my tone not conveying excitement.

“Whats wrong Claire Pear? don’t tell me you loved that tree more than Perry? I don’t think you could beat her sadness.

L.G. squealed as Teddy ran past Elsa and myself. Her in hot pursuit of him. As she ran past I could see the white dress clinging to her deeply drenched. In her hand she held one of those toy water guns that mirrored the one in Teddy’s hands. A smile on her face as she tried to chase Teddy who was ahead by a few meters. He looked back at L.G. smiling giving a wave as if to say “Come and get me”.

“It isn’t that.” 

The world start to turn around me. My vision starting to spin rapidly. My knees collapsed underneath me as gravity descended upon my shoulders. My eyes still focused on Teddy and Clare now gave way to a bright light. 

There. Ahead. Two figures. One in a white dress and with blonde hair blowing back. The opposite of L.G.’s dark brown. She is running. The world is slowing down. 

Tha-thump, tha-thump, tha-thump. The sound of her heart beating. She melts into the white light, the blue sky that softens into the beige pathway. 

The second figure that is ahead of the young girl is a boy. He is so much closer now. I can reach out and touch him. He turns only a small side of his face visible. He smiles as the sun beats from his copper hair. 

“Claire! Claire!” 

“Hurry! Get some water! Aren!” Voices start to swirl around. Then my body became weightless only a small jostle every other second. 

The boy and the girl have disappeared. My vision is black with swirling blue and red dots. Even though my knees buckled and I cannot see, I have not passed out. The here and the now. The where…. Is here. 

“Claire. Drink this.” 

A refreshing liquid sloshed against my tongue. The mineral water reminded me of what it would be like to vacation at a clear and crystal lake. Untouched by human kind. I could feel the drops roll down my chin and dampening the nape of my neck. A coldness, one that was refreshing, splashed onto the back of my neck. A hand gently rubbing and cradling as my head tipped backwards to allow the liquid to enter my mouth. 

“Oh dear. Is she alright?” 

“Dehydrated most likely. She is responding.” Aren’s smooth tone replied. His voice was warm and comforting a pleasant opposite to the cold and reborn sensation sliding down my throat. 

“Aren” 

“Claire.” He responded as if he could hear my conscious calling out. “Open your eyes Claire.”

My mind was coming to the present. I did not want to open my eyes. How embarrassing to pass out and then see the concern in everyone. I could sense them looking down on me. 

“Claire I have to check that your eyes didn’t pop out after that fall.” 

Someone started to giggle. “Grandma can your eyes really fall out after hitting your head?” 

“No dear.” A small chuckle escaped.

The tension broke within myself for I could sense a lightness mingling in the air. I opened my eyes slowly filling my vision with Aren. He hovered over me a water bottle in one hand and the other underneath my neck. 

“That a girl.” Elsa stood on my left side gently touching my forearm. “Alright now this may sting.” 

Another bright light consumed my eyes. It faded then came back. “Her pupils are dilating. Ok Claire follow my finger.” I followed. “Perfect. Any spots in your vision?”

“No”

There was a sigh, “Sorry I do have to ask. Do you know who I am?”

Panic started to seep in. Then I remembered easing it away back to the corner from where it came. 

“Elsa. You used to be medical assistant in the Navy.”

“WOAH! Bonus points for that Claire. A little too much information. Just the name would have sufficed.” Elsa turned to face the rest of the onlookers. “Alright everyone she is fine! Just needs to go home and rest for the evening.” She turned back to me “Claire can you walk?”

“No need I’ll carry her.” 

If I had a few seconds to protest, I would have. Instead Aren hooked his arm behind my leg scooting me forward. In one swift motion I was up in the air his arm underneath my knees and his other pressing against my shoulder blades. 

“I’ll be by in an hour or so with some food. She needs to eat and I know she doesn’t keep anything in that fridge.” Elsa crossed her arms. 

“Thank you. Make it more than an hour.” Aren jostled me so that I was in a better position. 

Elsa did not respond verbally. Tucked in his arms my head resting against his shoulder he carefully made his way down the deck stairs, across the yards, and onto the porch of the house. He used his elbow to nudge the sliding glass door open. I took this as my cue to squirm out of his reach, but instead he tightened me against him.

“I’m fine I can walk.” I attempted to push my legs down towards the ground once more. 

“I’m sure you can.” 

Aren continued into the living room. He passed the kitchen and went down the hallway into my bedroom. He finally let me down by waiting until he was over the bed. Gently, almost afraid that I would break I landed on the bed. He went into the bathroom. Within moments I heard the sound of the faucet being turned on. The jets from the tub also sprang to life rushing to fill. He came back out. 

“Get in the bath in a few moments. It’s luke warm water, but it will make you feel a lot better after the heat from today. I’m going to get you some water you can drink.” He departed the room. Strange, I thought he was going to be perverted like last night.

The images of a cold bath in the jet jacuzzi sounded luxurious especially for this summer heat. I never needed a pool when I could soak in this regal accommodation for hours on end. I would have to thank Uncle Julie for insisting the master bathroom be more like a spa experience than a locker room. I stripped off my clothes giving way to Elsa’s suggestion that I needed to rest this evening and what better way. 

I stepped into the bathroom the tub filled up half way. There were a few washcloths on the side begging me to put one behind my neck and sink into the white porcelain. I did just that. Dipping one into the cold water and ringing it out. I placed it onto my neck now stepping one foot into the water. It reminded me of Aren tipping my head back and separating my lips to let the relief entangle my tongue. The water, a little less than luke warm, felt amazing on my sun kissed skin. I sank into the jacuzzi letting my legs float upwards. A few minutes passed and before closing my eyes I made sure to turn off the water and jets. One mistake I made in the past.

“The past.” Laying my neck into the resting spot on the back of the tub I closed my eyes. 

What did it all mean? The strange dream from this morning. The loss of my vision replaced by images of the little girl and boy. Was it from my past somehow? Was I starting to remember?

Unlikely. My hand slapped against the water. Thanks to the accident I developed retrograde amnesia with a side effect of having limited dreams. The doctors never prodded and the psychiatrists on hospital staff said it was a good sign that I would not have to worry about nightmares affecting my recovery. 

A sound of something plunked onto the edge of the Jacuzzi. I opened my eyes to see Aren standing above me retracting his hand from the water bottle. 

“Ahh!” I lurched forward letting the towel on my neck drop into the water. My arms covered across my chest.

In the time it took me to put myself on guard Aren had already taken the opportunity to unbuckle his belt and drop his pants. I turned, avoiding any eye contact, knowing what he was going to drop next. 

“What are you doing?!”

Silence.

The water that surrounded me went into a turmoil wave as it rose slightly higher than my breasts. I curled my legs against my chest at an attempted barrier. I opened my eyes to look. His hands dipped into the water bringing some back. The water cupped into his palms now splashed upon his face. 

“That feels good. Its way hotter than usual this time of the year.” Both corners of his lips turned upwards giving out a dazzling smile. I could not be distracted. He promised me last night we would get to know each other better. Now was my chance to get some answers before he attempted anything more perverted. 

“How do you know Uncle Julie?” I rested my chin on my knees.

He cupped some more water into his hands splashing it against his neck. “Julian is the top in corporate real estate. He has secured me some prime locations for my company and my business partners.”

“Your company?” this piqued my interest. “You own a company?”

“Yes. You seem surprised.” He turned slightly reaching for the water bottle then handing it over to me. “Soaking in the water will only do you so good. You need to drink.”

“If you own a company why are you going to live here?” I grasped the water now untwisting the cap. I lifted it to my lips letting the coolness slide down my throat.

“I’ve been kicked out of my apartment.”

My throat seized causing me to cough some water up. “What do you mean? How could you have been kicked out of your apartment? Is your company doing poorly?” That’s all I could think. Usually when someone was evicted it meant they could not pay the rent. 

“Oh no. Nothing like that. The building had a huge bug infestation.”

“Ugh.” I stuck out my tongue letting an expression of mild disgust cross my face. 

He started to laugh. “Hey, do that again. It was cute.”

“Huh?” 

The questioning had ended. A mischievous glance cut across his eyes. Taking advantage of my surprise he leaned the short way through the water placing his hands on my waist. During our conversation I had let down my legs as the only guard between us and he must have noticed. He lifted me up effortlessly. My breasts and most of my stomach exposed to the warm air that swirled above the cool water. Somehow it made me shiver even more. My own hands positioned on his shoulders as my legs curled underneath my bottom as he placed me onto his lap. 

His mouth swiftly found its spot one my left nipple. His tongue started flicking then sucking. The motion repeated itself with the swirl of the tip of his tongue. One hand on my waist keeping me propped up the other now planting its fingers on my other breast. His middle and index finger caught my nipple in between as he started the gently tug and pull. I arched back letting moans escape me. 

His lips broke away from my breast and trailed up to my neck, planting kisses as he went. The other breast was released as well, but the owner of this one trailed down my body instead of up. 

“That cute expression.” He nipped at my base of my jaw. 

The other hand that trailed down my body reached the top of my clitoris. Just as my nipple received this treatment he shared it again with me, pinching my clit between his middle and index finger and began the rubbing motion. 

“Ah…” my moan cut off as his free hand moved from my lower back to the nape of my neck. He gently pressed my neck forward and down to meet his lips. His tongue parted the entryway, slipping in. I greeted him allowing our tongues to dance, separate, then resume their heated tango. 

“I’m going to watch you Claire.” He broke our kiss. The saliva dripped from my puffy lips. He had taken the liberty of a few bites in between the separation of our tongues. 

I only nodded not understanding what he meant. 

“Turn around.” He pressed my right hip motioning for me to rotate so that my back would be against his chest. I did as he said though it was easier for him circle me so that I was in the desired posture. As my bottom touch his thighs he leaned forward pressing the release button for the tub. The water started to drain. He only let out a few gallons then pressed the button so it would stop. He then pressed another one turning on the jets.

Now he rotated then with both hands spread my legs apart. 

“No!” I pressed my arms over my pubic area realizing what he was about to do.

“Claire.” He clutched my wrists in both hands moving them to the outside of my knees. “Sometimes I’ll be away for a few days on business trips. I need to teach you how to please yourself while I’m gone.”

With that he made one more slight rotation allowing the jet to gush onto my clit and vulva. The water pressure was different than his fingers or his tongue from last night, but it felt good. I tried once more to close my legs, but he moved my clutched wrists with his arms prying my knees apart.

I started to moan. 

“If you don’t close your knees I’ll show you how to make it even better.” 

I nodded and let out a gasp.

With my inability to form words at the moment he took the nod as a sign to released one of my wrists and snaked his fingers through mine. He moved my fingers to my clit pressing down then starting the rubbing motion. His knees lifted slightly up pushing my bottom and pubic area up further above the water. It was just the right spot. I let out of series of moans and he released his hand upon mine now taking my chin in his palm and titling my face to meet his. 

“That’s the cute expression I want. Now tell me when you are going to come. Don’t stop until you do.”

I continued. My conscious wanting to keep going to feel the yearning sensation he bestowed upon me last night. He started to caress my breasts giving me a kiss on the most sensitive spots on my neck. His touch started to unravel me. I could feel the inside starting to tighten as the water pressure plowed ahead not relenting. 

“Aren…” I moaned. My other hand plunged into the water hitting his thigh. In that instant I felt something hard push against my tail-bone touching up through the outer edges of my vulva. 

“God Claire.” 

His hands removed from my breasts hurrying themselves down to my clit. I removed my own hands casting them from the water and wrapping around his neck. Two fingers plunged into me while the heel of his hand pushed onto my clit. 

“I’m coming.” I yelled leaning forward. Everything tightened around him. The euphoria pulsating deep within myself. The tightening and releasing repeating. I laid back once the sensation started to dull away into a manageable ache.

I still needed something. Something that only he could give me. Something that I could not have while he was away. 

“Aren?” my breathing came in waves of panting still rocked from the orgasm he just helped me achieve.

“Hmmm? Yes?” he brushed my damp hair to behind my ear and kissed the outer section. 

Embarrassed to say it, I had to before my chance slipped away. “It aches.”

“Did I hurt you?” his fingers twisted my chin so that I was looking directly into my eyes. Concern rained down from his gaze.

“No…not like that...” my voice shaky, unsure if I should press further. “Its aches because I want more.” There I said it. 

“Oh? You want more? Are you sure?”

“Yes. I-I… want you to take me. Even if you never will again.”  
It caught me off guard. His jaw started to quiver like most do when someone is about to cry. He closed his eyes, but the tears that I expected to fall never came. 

“I will take you Claire, but never say that to me again.” His voice harsh made me push back. The intensity in his eyes bore down into my soul. He is angry, but why? 

“Not here though.” He said breaking my thought. “Stand up. I’m taking you in the bed.”

I did as he commanded standing up with his help. I turned about to push the button on the drain when I felt my legs sweep from underneath me. He held me in his arms capable and deftly stepped over the edge of the tub not once stumbling as I thought he would. The door of the bathroom still open he crossed the threshold. Instead of gently placing me on the bed we both fell onto it. His bodyweight on top of mine. The kissing began immediately his tongue delving into my mouth. His fingers trailed down my body entering through the exposed vulva.

“You’re still wet.” He murmured. 

My legs naturally spread a part as I felt something pinch into the top of vagina. Then suddenly the hardness dived in, filling up and sending away the ache that I complained about. Now a new sensation took over. I felt over filled. He pulled back. I moaned for him. He thrusted in and I moaned again. I clenched my muscles down on top of him.

“Fuck” he grunted. 

The sensation of him thrusting into me and pulling back out was driving me into a new era. My body was starting to convulse and I started to writhe underneath his weight. 

“He is filling me so much right now. I can’t stand it.” 

Suddenly he pulled out of me, not saying a word, but grabbing my wrist and drawing me forward. He turned me so that my back rested against his chest just as we were in the tub. This time though he placed me down on top of him entering me in one swift motion. I shrieked at the overdosing sensation of his entrance into my body. His thrusting was picking up more savage than before. I could now feel myself starting to build. His fingers went to my clit. 

“Now you can come too.” He panted into my ear. “Does that feel good Claire?” 

I moaned, squirming on him. 

“Rock on me.” His other hand grabbed onto my bottom pushing me forward than motioning backwards. 

“Oh god! Aren.” I shrieked out. 

I came and so did he. 

His breath tickled my neck as he rested his chin on my collarbone. His panting matching mine. I could hear my heartbeat and sure I could hear his as well. His arms wrapped around my body in a protected manner as we toppled over, onto the sheets. His bottom half parted from mine.

“Hey, turn over.” 

I rotated. His arms closing me into his chest. He kissed the top of my forehead then rested his chin on my head. I buried my face into the nape of his neck, my hands placed on him. We were entwined and had just become one. Our hot early summer afternoon had turned into one day that I will never forget for the rest of my life. 

Those dreams I had were only imaginary visions. This, however, is real. This is the only thing that I would ever need to focus on. Nothing, not even a plane crash would take me away from him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: Thanks for reading Chapter 2! The next installment should be up in a few weeks. Just wanted to let you know that Chapter 3 is going to contain a major plot line and have a few more twists and turns!


	3. Pieces

“I’m here again?” 

This world I became trapped in did not alter, but I knew what to expect. My footprints disappeared behind me in the white sand. My body present, my mind separating from my physical being. The path before me, bleached white with one singular color blending the sky and ocean. The sun above blared bright so the circular shape could not be made out. It is disorienting. The gritty sand globules grated between my toes, managed to keep me weighed down to the earth. My mind shifted back and forth just as the waves, simultaneously afraid of floating away into the never ending sky. 

“I lost something.” strands of my hair moved gently against my cheeks. The ocean was calm. Waves tickled the sand refusing to crash. I had been here before, but I could not remember what I lost. 

Jingle. Jingle. Jingle. The tinkling sound of a small bell came from the distance. The sound kissed my ear lobe moving behind to the other side. The sound repeated registering to my system as a sound always found in nature. 

“What did I lose?”

Jingle. Jingle. The sound stopped. My head lolled to the side. Eyes diverted down to the sand. 

“You?”

The white haired cat with the small gold bell titled its head. It turned around its tail curled into a perfect question mark. It started to walk as did I. Like me, this cat left no traces of its prints behind in the sand. 

Suddenly the white cat lurched forward. It did not run, but started a pattern of vaporizing into the heat then materializing a few meters ahead. I picked up speed attempting to catch up. My legs were heavy. My feet were hot. The sun beating down was causing me to sweat. The sound of the waves started to pick up. 

“Claire” a whisper surrounded my body. 

“This isn’t right” As my vision turned towards the ocean I could see it was motionless there was no movement of the salted water.

The air started to disappear from my lungs. A sound (not the waves) grumbling from above was taking life from me. The sound started to grow louder humming an artificial tune as if a vacuum just turned on.

“Claire.” The reverberations bounced against my ankle. I tripped.

Sand cut into the palms of my hand as if I just fell onto a previously broken mirror. I did not scream. I did not turn up my palms to view the cuts. 

“Claire.” The adrogenous voice prodded me. 

I looked up, the white hair cat perched in front of me. The artificial sound boomed once more raining down the overwhelming vibrations. My muscles started to convulse in rhythm, unable to plant to my hand on the ground to help push me forward. I only stumbled attempting to stand. Gravity pulled me back down. My feet were beginning to sink underneath the white granules that started to encapsulate. 

“Wait! No!” 

The sand now above my ankles began to speed up pulling me further into it. I tried once again to lurch forward hoping this time my muscles would respond. They did not. The sand now nearing the top of my knees. 

“Help me!”

The white cat titled its head as I looked back up with panic strewn across my whole being. A shadow began to cover the cat. As it did it seemed to liquidate into a black goo, boiling and popping, morphing into a grotesque science experiment. The sand creeping up my chest. 

That’s when it happened. I titled my eyes upward. A figure like the bottom of a boat hovered creating the shadow. Then I ignited into flames. 

\------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- ---

 

“Julie, please pick up. Please pick up.” 

I sat on the living room sofa, my legs curled underneath and my hands gripping the cellphone that now rang in its static glory. 

“Hello you have reached the voice mail box of Julie Bricet. This voice mail box has been disconnected and no longer in service.”

I hit the red end button clutching the phone to my chest. Now his voicemail is completely disconnected and I needed to talk to him. These dreams…. Ones that I’ve never had before started to attack me since Friday night. There was no one else I could talk to. I couldn’t trouble my father or step-mother, Elsa would understand, but showing an unstable side to her might cause wariness more than anything. And Aren….

The cellphone left an indentation on my chest with the perfect rectangular shape melting into a red boxy rash. This morning when I woke, Aren was gone. There was a note on the counter in his perfectly honed penmanship stating he needed to go into the city and prepare with his colleagues for Monday. He did say that he would be back tomorrow evening and with a surprise waiting for me. 

I never felt alone until today. I had lived by myself for nearly a year never once feeling like I was missing the bigger picture. How had that man been here for less than 48 hours yet managed to condemn my body to him? 

My fingers relaxed allowing the phone to slide down my side and plop onto the cushion. “Have you always been such a sucker for a pretty face? Is there more to him?” 

This thought triggered another one. After I had fully given myself to him we laid together. I was fully entangled in his arms content to immediately fall asleep, but as Elsa had promised she brought dinner for us. As we sat together eating and drinking Elsa engaged Aren in lively conversation. Just like the color of his hair and eyes, his voice also carried a thick golden honey that drenched me in sweetness and warmth. I could only sit there stealing a few glances at him trying not to be enraptured with his presence. He also seemed to have captured Elsa. She allowed herself to launch into her stories when she was overseas in the military. Aren listened interjecting every so often, but rarely did he reciprocate. I only knew the same things about him as I did the day before. 

I was determined to ask him more questions, but that opportunity slipped away from me. As soon as Elsa had left Aren took me to the restless bed where we did everything but sleep. He did find an erogenous zone on the nape of my neck that he decided to relentlessly assault with his tongue. He made the comment that if I continued to wriggle he would tie me up. 

My cheeks flushed. 

“I could probably call Papa and see if there is another number for Julie.” I tried to swing my thoughts to the original goal of today. It did not work they only came back to Aren. 

I would go crazy if I sat in this house any longer. Usually not this fidgety, I needed something to occupy my mind on an otherwise lazy Sunday morning. Preferably something physical. I decided not to call my father. We had spoken last week and he did mention that since summer arrived there would be a slew of parties him and my stepmother would need to attend on the weekends. My garden, Elsa’s, and the Aberthalls’ had all been planted. Mrs. Aberthall was retired and thoroughly enjoyed tending to our long stretch of flowers during the morning weekdays when no one else was around. 

“Ah that’s it!” my fingers snapped together. I stood up and opened the sliding glass door, stepping out into the sunny morning. 

What had come to mind was the Perry sisters, notorious for always having an untold amount of chores to do. Their garden alone doubled the three little house block that I had come to live at. Their house also eclipsed the rest of the structures so much so that it would take you nearly an entire day to scavenge through every room. I never went above the first floor of their house, but I could crane my neck from the bottom of the swirl staircase and see the vacancy of many years. Cobwebs, dust, and even the pristine non fading of the carpet gave these clues. 

The other clues were hidden away in the memories of the Perry sisters. They rarely had guests and spoke very little of family even though the walls and tables were decorated with numerous pictures of the sisters at fancy social gatherings or holiday events. Even a picture of my father and deceased mother clung to the walls that had begun to fade. 

When I first saw the picture hanging to the wall Charry Perry rested her hand on my shoulder “Your mother is the loveliest person I have ever met. You are the spitting image of her Claire. Beautiful down to the core.”

“Thank you for those kind words.” I would then reach back to clasp the top of her hand into my palm. 

“Would you like to have it Dear?”

Tears would spring to my eyes “No.”

In that instant Ms. Perry let her hand fall from my shoulder and nodded. She beckoned me to the kitchen claiming that her sister made the most “god awful” scones and she needed someone else to taste them for confirmation. Ms. Perry had been very kind in that sense. She somehow understood that even though I held a good front, nothing could touch the sorrow of lost childhood memories. 

“Claire!” Mrs. Aberthall broke me from my thoughts. 

I had been strolling along the garden side of the fence that connected all the yards. The most common mode of transportation from the end of the road all the way up to the Perry house. Mrs. Aberthall approached seemingly out of breath and with L.G. in tow. 

“Claire. Are you going over to the Perrys’?”

“Yes I am. Is there something that you need?”

She breathed in now looking around and appearing to forget her original train of thought. “Oh where is that handsome young man from yesterday.”

My lips parted at the visceral reaction upon thinking of whom she meant. I tapered my response “Aren had some business to attend to. He was overseas for quite some time and needed to catch up with his colleagues before Monday.”

“Oh, very good then I hope you don’t mind. Would you be able to take Clare with you over to the Perrys’?” 

“I don’t mind. Has something happened?”

“Yes” she panted regaining why she had run out here. “Hank’s brother isn’t doing too well. He went to the hospital last evening and we need to go visit him. It’s not really a place for my granddaughter.” She whispered the last part though L.G. had already stooped turning her attention towards a grasshopper on the ground. 

“Of course. Do you need me to watch Clare tonight? I should be able to get her to school in the morning and have enough time to make it to work.”

“Claire Bricet you are my savior!” she clasped my hands in between hers. “Thank you! We are not really sure how long Hank’s brother has. We may need to spend the night as it doesn’t sound so good. Are you sure though?”

“Of course! I will take good care of her. We’ll probably spend most of our time at the Perrys. My upstairs is rarely used so L.G. will have more than enough room.”

“Thank you! Thank you!” 

“Ah-haha. No problem.” I rubbed the back of my neck. I knew that Mr. Aberthall’s brother lived at least four hours away so it would be a big hassle to do a round trip and worry about L.G. Ever since the accident I would attempt to absorb as much information and run through it in my head the next day. Aisley said it was creepy when I would sit outside at lunch time staring into the sun and talking to myself about what happened the day before. 

“Clare? You are going to stay with Auntie for the night while your Pap-Pap and I go to the hospital. You must promise me that you will be good for Auntie.”

L.G. did not seem to involved in the conversation and instead more focused on the dirt below. “Yah-huh!” she spurted out. 

Mrs. Aberthall concerned looked back at me, “Are you sure?”

“Positive! There is nothing to worry about. L.G. you know Auntie Mari keeps the best icecream in the whole world. Lets go get some. I’m hungry.” 

L.G. sprang up cheering at the fact she would get some icecream and started to dance her way to the Perry sisters house.

“Sorry. I’ll make sure she has some vegetables. Bedtime at 8:00pm so she can wake up at 7:00 and we will be on the bus by 8.” I dodged the sprinklers that just turned on now shooing away both myself and Mrs. A. 

“Thank you Claire you really are dependable, just like your mother.” Mrs. Aberthall said nothing else and at once turned to run back inside her house. 

I did not stop walking or turn around. That last comment Mrs. Aberthall made stung. Not once (minus the comment Ms. Perry made) had anyone mentioned my mother. 

“It feels like I am walking in someone else’s footsteps.”

I stopped and glanced back. There on the bricked path were my soaked foot prints from the sprinklers now starting to disappear as I walked. 

“C’mon Auntie! Ice cream! Ice cream!” L.G. entwined her fingers with mine and started to pull me forward. 

I lost my balance, but regained composure quickly as L.G. pulled me along running in a full sprint. I turned once again. Two sets of footprints side by side set on the last few bricks. They were the same size.

\--------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------

“Thank you for dinner. I really enjoyed everything.” I took the last bite of food off my plate from the dinner I shared with the Perry sisters and L.G. 

“Here is to you dear. You prepared everything, we only provided the ingredients!” Charry held out her glass of Reisling motioning to clink mine. The executed plink sounded through the garden patio that was covered with many ferns to keep out the sun. 

L.G. had devoured her dinner and already had bounded off the patio in search of some of the gardens more interesting flowering residents. 

“Reminds me so much of when you were young.” Mari had leaned forward maintaining her straight posture. Her hands folded one over the other cradling her chin as she watched L.G. The table moved slightly. Mari’s hands were jolted away from her head as she attempted to regain balance. “What the hell Charry?!”

“Utterly rude.” Charry sipped on the wine. 

“Can’t even go one day without you acting out!” Mari pushed back her chair. 

“You forget dear sister, some aren’t so fortunate to have memories.”

It then dawned on both Mari and myself. “Oh it’s ok. Actually….maybe… I wouldn’t mind hearing something about my childhood.” Not that I necessarily wanted to know, but the situation had become awkward. 

“Very well. I can see that this should be left to my sister. She has more of a knack for telling these stories. Here I’ll take your plate.” Mari pushed away her chair and leaned over towards my plate scooping it up in hand. After she had gathered as many dishes as she could carry, her path led back into the house.

“Shit.” Charry lifted her hand to mouth.

“What?” this alarmed me.

“She never shuts up and just like that. Do you think I finally cracked the training barrier after all these years?” Charry proceeded to laugh. “Oh dear.” She wiped away the small joyful tears that sprung to the corner of her eyes. She began to calm down. “Do you really want to know what she meant Claire?”

I only nodded. 

“My sister would say that about any child and any adult sitting at this patio. Oh you remind me of him or her.” Charry spoke with a vigor tinged for the insolence of her sister. “But you are far different from the little one over there. All children love to run and chase each other. Most would find the garden as a place to play a good game of hide and seek. You on the other hand were always curious. There were some times when you gave us a proper fright.”

“A fright?”

Charry continued barely registering my comment, “You always seemed so connected to the world. When we would open our gates to the forest you would stand right in the middle and stare for hours. I always wondered what you saw out there. The boy you always played with finally pushed you out of the safety of the gate. You two would always go out into the forest and then come back dirty, sweaty, and tired. Your pretty white dresses would always be stained and all those stickers in that boy’s beautiful copper hair. Your parents would thank you for allowing you to tire yourself out, but I always felt bad about how your dresses would be ruined. Your mother though was the magician when it came to laundry.” She took a breath and sighed. “Lovely people, your parents. How is your father?”

“The boy with copper hair.”

“You seem distracted my dear.”

I laid my vision back onto Charry, perplexed. “Who is the boy that would play with me?”

“Ah” she took another sip of her wine averting her eyes back out to the garden then onto mine. “That my dear may dredge up more memories than you are ready for. Would you really like to know? I can say he was another member of the neighborhood from some time ago.”

“You are probably right. I should get going L.G. will definitely need a bath before bed. Thank you so much for having us over.”

“You’re welcome dear. As always feel free to come whenever you would like. I have many more stories to tell whenever you are ready to listen.”

“Thank you Ms. Perry.”

L.G. and myself said our goodbyes as Charry kissed us each on the cheek and handed me a bag of oranges grown directly from the Perry garden. She also made sure to say that as a child I particularly enjoyed these. I said my thanks and then carted L.G. back to my house and promptly placed her in the upstairs bath tub. Old enough to be self-sufficient, I left L.G. to her own devices, gently knocking on the door every 5 minutes to make sure she was not in a dire circumstance. After her bath she crawled into bed exhausted and ready for sleep to take her to dreamland. Mrs. A. had been quite the planner and made sure to leave L.G.’s bookbag and everything she would need for an overnight stay in my living room. During the weekends, I had a bad habit of leaving the sliding glass door open. Our neighborhood very safe and secluded with only a dirt road to the end meant only the raccoons dared to trifle with our property.

I opened the fridge allowing myself to snag one beer as a night cap. Monday would be an early start, but I needed something to wind down with for the next hour. The quintessential snap and release of carbonation, I opened the glass doors to my deck and sat down on the edge. My one foot propped on the wood and the other dangling off the edge as I gazed upon the garden that led into the forest. The seclusion of the neighborhood dismissed any city lights. Some nights I could even see the dust lanes and star clusters of the milky way. Tonight not being a bit cloudy letting the twinkle of the stars fight for the right to light the earth.

I enjoyed staring into the black void. My thought complex is simple. The galaxy itself is surrounded in darkness and the small hints of light such as the stars are a snap shot in time. We are always moving forward in the dust lanes, never looking back. Someday, those stars will die out and we will never remember all their names. Why? Why do we search so desperately for the past when we should only look to the future? Why are we so hell bent on discovery of what makes us….us? The past is not something one needs to remember in order to live life. Why for the past year has no one mentioned my childhood? Now they want me to remember. The boy with the copper hair is just a star who died out long ago. So why does it eat at me? 

The vision I had before passing out yesterday from dehydration… it had to be me. The girl with the same blonde hair as mine and the boy with the copper hair. These memories were gone, why now are they coming back?

“Claire?” 

My foot slipped off the wooden plank now dangling on the edge with the other. Elsa, a glimmering shadow, appeared under the stars leaning against the pillar that connected the deck to the roof shelter. 

“You look lonelier than usual. Are you missing someone?” her eyebrow raised. 

I scoffed, “No absolutely not! How could I miss someone who just invaded my home. Someone I barely know!”

“Woah, Miss Bossy Claire Pear, makes a very rare appearance. I didn’t mean to get you worked up. Well from what I’ve been hearing its more than your home that has been invaded. You haven’t been with someone in a long time right?”

I averted my glance from Elsa down to the last few drops of my drink. “I’ve never been with someone until now. It’s hard to understand why…” I stopped. My thoughts trickled. “Why is he here?” the thought broke.

“Claire, don’t think about too much. Just have some fun and get to know him. He seems like a good man.”

“Mama! Mama….” Teddy called his voice carried drowsiness.

Elsa sighed, “Honny, I’m coming! Sorry Claire. Teds been having some nightmares recently. I’ll see you soon. Have a good night.”

“Good night.” I could only muster the smallest condolescence. I knew how Teddy felt. Disoriented by nightmares. At least he is still a child and has the comfort of his mother. Elsa’s figure disappeared from my view and I could only hear the distinct sound of her own porch door sliding shut. 

With the last swig of my beer I looked up into the night sky. “If anyone is listening, I like my life now. Elsa, Teddy, the Aberthalls, the Perrys. I don’t know what to think about…..” I stopped, my train of thought landing on Aren. “Anyway, I don’t have any desire to learn about my past. I-I may be a little afraid, but not knowing is the best thing right?”

No voice came from the sky. No strike of lightning. Only the sound of the crickets chirping and the dim light of the stars remained.

“Right?” I said once again.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- --------

 

Monday morning approached all too rapidly. I had overslept and rushed to get L.G. ready who also clung to her exhaustion. With little time for breakfast and even less time to make lunch we quickly changed, brushed our teeth, and rushed out the door. L.G. pointed at my bicycle practically begged me let her ride on the back. Not quite ready to work up the sweat I tempted her with the fact that today we would be riding the train and at the station they had a few morning cafes containing an overflow of pastries. She readily agreed.

Our neighborhood is fairly secluded. At the end of our one-way street we catch the bus then take the 15 minutes ride to the train station then another 30 minutes for me to the city center. L.G.’s school is right near the station so my course is only diverted by 20 minutes or so. As we step off the bus I make good on my promise to L.G. making sure to buy her a chocolate pastry and a pre made lunch. I also buy a sandwich for myself and iced coffee, skipping the pastry. Our arrival time to L.G.’s school is a little ahead of schedule, but she is more than fine to begin her day. She hugs me around the waist and excitedly rubs her chocolate covered face into my shirt. I don’t mind since I will put a sweater on once I arrive at work. My building is an icebox during the summer and the desert during winter. We say our good byes and I head back to the train station and begin the rest of my commute. 

Most people on the train decidedly opened their newspaper or began tapping along on the keyboard of their laptop hoping to catch up on the emails they missed from the day before. I myself found it more relaxing to simply lean my head against the window and watch the passing scenery. I did not think about much, but this Monday had been decidedly different since Friday. My dreams were beginning to plague me with last night being no exception. It was the same. Myself walking along the beach, the white haired cat, the sand pulling me in deeper, and finally igniting into flames. There were no differences. 

I sighed. The same dream, but no progress made. Did I want to continue moving it forward? What would be on the other side?

“Union Junction. Arrival time 90 seconds.” The overhead recording interrupted my thoughts.

I gathered my bag and sipped to the last drop of my coffee. 

“Arriving. Arriving. Please stand clear of the doors. 60 seconds to departure.”

I stood up and made my way to the doors. I stepped out onto the platform and began my way through the crowd and up the escalator.

“Claire! You are late!” 

There before me at the top of the escalator stood Aisley Maddow. Her perfectly blow dried hair cascaded in waves down to her cleavage. The black dress she wore clung to her showing off every inch and the mile-high heels made my ankles begin to hurt. She seemed like a model doing a photo shoot for the latest designer clothing line. 

“Sorry. I can’t be that late?” I touched the edge of limp ponytail.

“Oh indeed you are! We can’t miss a minute of it! Come on lets go.” Aisley lurched forward wrapping her arm into my elbow. She began dragging me along at a quick pace her heels clicking ferociously across the concrete. 

“What are we going to miss?” 

“I’ve told you so many times! Our President is finally back today from his overseas travels. We have so much to do! Carbon C just caved to negotiations so we are acquiring all their personnel. Ugh I also have to work on finding a new coffee producer for the mornings. Can you believe Dominick from accounting threw a shit fit because he spilled it on himself and it stained his expensive, also very tacky shirt. He took it upon himself to fire the café manager. NOW I HAVE TO DO ALL THE DAMN CLEAN UP!” she shouted the last part into my ear. 

“The President’s back?”

“Ugh were you even listening Claire?! Don’t stare into space today. Yes he is back. He is giving a morning presentation. Didn’t you get the email last night?”

“Oh.”

The walk to our office is usually ten minutes, but with Aisley’s pace she dragged me there in nearly half the time. It became obvious as we opened the front doors to the main lobby and could barely push through the converged crowd, we were the last of the employees to arrive. Aisley huffed and puffed, taking no prisoners as she pushed us through the wave. She stepped on the mens’ polished shoes and snapped at the other women who looked equally as dressed up as her. I started to think I may have missed the memo. My flats, rolled up khaki chinos, and plain undershirt, followed by an even plainer dark sweater stood out amongst everyone else today. 

Not taking this into consideration, Aisely continued to press us forward to the second row. From this vantage point I could see the marble staircase had been closed off and a podium placed. There were flowers encapsulating the level part of the tiered staircase and banners strung about. One older gentleman stood at the podium and behind him the projector blared the company’s logo. Everyone began to clap as I felt a jab into my side. I glanced to my left to see I had been unfortunately placed next to the guys from finance. The movies about stock traders did these guys justice. They were high voltage laced with uncountable amounts of octane. The guy who jabbed me only continued to clap boisterously. 

The older gentleman at the podium waved his hands attempting to calm everyone down. “Thank you all for attending this morning’s meeting. Our President has been overseas for quite some months and he brought back millions in capital gains….” The man who I now concluded to be one of the Executive Officers continues to drone on. No one stood by him, so the curiosity in me began to peak. I never actually saw the President of EchoS since I had been hired at about the same time he departed for travels. The only thing I knew about him is that he is incredibly handsome (according to every woman and some men), young, and brilliant. They typically refer to him as President or President Sanna. 

There were some loud shouts from the men next to me. Hoots and hollers followed by applause. The older gentleman must have finished up his announcements. “Now please welcome back President Sanna!” His arm swooped across the podium steering his open stance to the left. A young, handsome man in perfectly tailored suit waved at the crowd and made his way up to the podium. The two shook hands and President Sanna took his place in front of the podium as the claps continued. 

In that instant, my heart stopped. 

President Sanna scanned the crowd then smirked as his gaze landed upon me. 

I knew this man. 

Approximately 36 hours ago, the President of EchoS came into my house during the night and gave me a few memories I will never forget. His lingering eye contact left my return gaze and he now scanned the crowd. My lips parted as he began his speech and my tongue must have rolled out as Aisley leaned over and whispered into my ear. 

“It’s good to know you are girl Claire. Just confirms that no one can resist Aren Sanna.”

No need to say anything in response. His voice starting to become distant along with the crowd. It is only me and Aren. His mouth moved, but I could not hear. The blood started to pound in my ears drowning everything out, but my singular thought. This man…knew who I am… or more precisely who I was. He must have known about Claire Milcah Bricet the CEO of RadX, the company he bought out after my plane crash. 

“Run.”

My fear started to travel through my muscles sparking a flight response. Unknowingly I turned halfway as the world slowed down. The clapping, the shouts of praise from the bodies surrounding me started to turn black. They began to swirl together into an artificial vortex. Something vicariously jerked my shoulder back.

“Claire. You look a little pale. Are you not feeling well?”

I did not respond.

“Come on lets go the nurse. The meeting is over, but you definitely don’t want to puke right here.”

Aisley pulled my shoulder once again then tucked her arm inside my elbow. My legs were wobbling as she pulled me to the elevator. I wanted to allow myself to pass out, but I could not. My father’s words hauntingly came back to me as the elevator doors pinged open. 

“Claire don’t run too far. You will have to face your past soon.”

My stomach erupted containing a lava flow of the iced coffee from this morning. The only thing that made me feel slightly better had been ruining Aisley’s tad too sexy for work outfit. She now wore the designer label of Claire Bricet’s bile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading Chapter 3! I try not to have so many “Pieces” or randomly flipping multiple scenes. I can foresee this being the only time I will need to do it in order to move the plot along, so if you did not necessarily like the chapter because of that, promise I’ll do better in Chapter 4. Not sure how long this series will continue, but if I am pumping out between 5k-8k chapters I can see having about 7-10 more chapters to go. I am having a lot of fun with Claire’s story so I hope you follow and stick around for more! I don’t have a particular song that goes with the chapter, but please check out Florence + the Machine. The new album drops on my birthday!


	4. Perfect Timing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I totally forgot about uploading to AO3 - I'm already finished with chapter 6 and posted on fiction press. Anyway playing catch up over the next couple of weeks!

**PLEASE NOTE: This Chapter contains Explicit Adult Content**

**Chapter 4: Perfect Timing**

**Word Count: 8263**

 

The boardroom of EchoS. One of the few places that made me truly comfortable. I am finally home and rightfully grateful for the progress I made. Five months ago the international affairs of EchoS dragged me away for business. The long drawn out introductions, the even longer negotiations, and some of the most outrageous old men who thought they would always have me and my company in their grasp just because of my age. They were wrong. I was….. or should I say still remain a cut throat, especially regarding the things that are most important to me.

                  “That should finish up the schedule for this week. I will make sure to notify all the department heads of their selected timeframe to meet with us.” My assistant Andrew broke me out of my thoughts. He shuffled papers together, meticulously weaving them together so that no edge frayed.

                  “Perfect. It was a good decision not to notify them of your return, President. I made sure only myself and the board knew of your return.” Lind the Human Resource board member leaned back in her chair. I could almost make out an invisible hand patting her on the shoulder.

                  _“Doubtful. You do have one leaker on your hand.”_ my thought quickly evaporated, attempting to not give away the smile that almost made it to my lips.

                  “There seems to be one more agenda item before we break for lunch. Regarding, Wallenstein.” One of the junior advisors had a glaze of apprehension covering his eyes.

                  “Yes.” I continued to sit back in my chair, fingers folded onto my raised knee. “Robert Wallenstein the Manager for the Traders and underneath Harry…” I nodded towards my senior financial advisor “…has resigned. His son was in a rather unfortunate accident and they will be moving out of country, back to their immediate family for care. Lind, we will begin the search immediately for a replacement.” I wasted no time delivering the pointed news. “I would like to first search internally. Promotion will keep them hungry to succeed.”

                  “I can say there are at least three candidates, however, we may want to expand to an external search. Wallenstein was good and he came from the outside.”

                  “Agreed. Andrew, please forward the Dossier contact to Lind. He will have a good trader to recommend. Lind any suggestions on a temporary fill in for Wallenstein?”

                  “One of the project associates from a nearby department would be a good fit. I don’t think they would succeed permanently. The main goal is to keep the gentlemen on that floor happy. We don’t need any more incidents to occur, right Harry?” Lind’s eyebrow raised in a mocking manner towards Harry.

                  “You’re on tha high horse Bee! One of my PM’s not fit for permanent replacement?” Harry raised his voice.

                  These two. Lind “Bee” Parvetti and Harry Byrne always at each other throats, but the top performers in their respected roles. Lind Parvetti the American who closely identified with her Italian roots and the Irish man who you could rarely understand once these two began a shouting match. Most days I could not make out which one is worse than the other. I would let them continue their argument for a few minutes, but not let it last long. Any newcomers or guests would always give me a pleading look to stop the unsavoriness of their back and forth, but I only ignored. Why?

                  To be honest, when Lind and Harry started their first argument in my presence it became worrisome and I immediately intervened, squelching their feigned disagreements. When I asked my more than savvy assistant Andrew to do some investigation on the two so that we could have some resolve he came back to me the next day… face completely pale. When he told me he saw the two of them rage fucking in a janitor closet, I couldn’t contain myself. It was the first time, in a long time, that I had a good laugh. Unfortunately, Andrew has been scarred ever since. Even now as I cast a side long glance at him I can see his face becoming pale, sweat beginning to congregated on the tops of his eyebrows, and the quintessential squeezing of his knuckles, praying that it will all be over soon.

                  “Oi! You fecken twat bag. I’ll send ya peckin in the next tomorra!” Harry yelled standing up.

                  Lost in my thoughts I might have missed quite a few lines of dialogue to let the situation arise to this. Lind already on her feet nearly leaning over the long table, attempting to swipe at Harry.

                  “Lind! Harry! Sit the fuck down or else you both will be packing tomorrow!” I shouted from my same contained stance.

                  “Right. Sorry.” Harry rounded his shoulders forward, pulling on the cuffs of his suit jacket. He sat down across from Lind. Both avoiding eye contact with each other.

                  “As I was saying after I was so rudely interrupted…” Lind huffed, clearly agitated.

                  I held up my hand. I only needed one word and one demonizing glare, “Lind.”

                  She nodded. “Right. Sorry. As I was saying, while the finance or trader project associates are intellectually capable, you need someone with more finesse in dealing with these unruly men. You need someone who is going to reign them in, grab them by the balls!”

                  The rest of the men in the boardroom all seemed to cough simultaneously, unsure of how to take that last phrase.

                  “Who do you have in mind, Lind?” Balen Cazaer, my most trusted advisor laid the question out.

                  “Hmmmm, Wakkiado from the product coding department. His team has seen a dramatic increase in cohesion in the past four months.”

                  “Only four months? He has been employed with the Sanna family for about eight years?” another senior board member piped in.

                  “I am getting to that” Lind agitated once again, but knowing never to raise her voice to Balen. “Wakkaido has always been one of our good employees. He isn’t the best with personal relations, but he recently found a project associate. She has already decreased complaints. HR was working on about 2 per week. Petty shit, but not the point, haven’t heard so much as a squeak from those self-obsessed higher than the Dali Lama, nerds. I feel she would be capable of handling the traders.”

                  This is not what I expected of Lind. She is a woman in a man’s world and one who preferred it that way. For Lind to be recommending another woman for a higher appointment meant there might be some merit to her suggestion.

                  “Who?” Balen repeated.

                  “Claire Milcah Bricet.” The corner of Lind’s mouth began to shift upwards.

                  The room went silent. I closed my eyes and subconsciously allowed my index finger to rest between my lips. My thumb landed on my jaw. Claire’s lips. They were soft.... they were full of lust for me, even if she did not want to admit it.

                  “Milcah Bricet? Wait… wait, you mean the Milcah Bricet, the former CEO of RadX?” all of my board members seemed to panic.

                  “Yes that is the one. She has been working here for the past few months. Though she is quite different from the Milcah Bricet we all heard about.”

                  “Different? She is called Queen of the Underworld for a reason?”

                  “Didn’t she kill someone?”

                  “No, no. I think she just scared someone and they died a few days later.”

                  “That is killing!”

                  “No it is only coincidence!”

Their voices began to irritate me. I wanted nothing more than to drown out their undo worrisome. That is when Balen Caazaer began to laugh only adding to the tension in the room. He coughed a few times before calming himself. An older man just like my father, but far more reliable.

“I do think it’s quite funny to see a room full of grown men become disturbed by a rumor mill.” Balen leaned forward his hands remained under the table. “It is true, Claire has quite the reputation, but it is also true what Lind has said. Miss Bricet was in an accident one that erased her memories. I’m also told her memories are gone.” Balen glanced at me then moved back to the room.

“If you put the viper back in the arena, she will surely strike.” One of the lesser board members muttered.

The other remained silent. “A cheeky analogy.” Balen turned towards me. “Aren?”

I sighed walking the thin line, “Lind your judgement has always been sound, but Miss Bricet is still an unknown at this time. With that being said upon we should allow one of the current traders to assume responsibilities. I do stand by my comment of searching internally, but it seems the field should be expanded to an external candidate. Andrew will provide you with the Dossier contact, as mentioned earlier. As for Miss Bricet, taking in Lind’s observations it would be a shame to waste her current talents for personal relations and ability to move a stagnant department forward.  After Wallenstein’s replacement is found we will discuss moving Miss Bricet. If that is appropriate, you are all dismissed. We will not reconvene until tomorrow during the department presentations.”

Everyone nodded their head in unison and began the ritual of packing up their folders into briefcases. There were a few side conversations as my advisors and board members left the room. I stood up walking towards the floor to ceiling window, looking out upon the city. The doors to the board room closed behind the last person to leave. Only Balen and myself remained.

“Aren, I say this only because of the history we share with each other…”

“Balen, there is no need. I understand what you are going to say.”

“Even so. I hope you realize you are beginning to walk down the same path you did years ago. She may not remember, but you do.”

A bad habit, my teeth clenched together “It would be more convenient if I didn’t. I’m handling Claire… the right way this time.”

Balen’s arthritic bound knees began the cracking and popping, followed by grunts as he stood. “Umph, I am an old man Aren. Going senile, not quite understanding, but take my advice to heart and be careful. You are a capable man, I know you will make the right choices.” His chair pushed back rolling against the wood floor. I heard the turn of the wood door open. “What Marcus said may be true… the Queen viper may still have some poison left in her.” Balen must have stepped outside for the maple door closed, setting itself in its metal connectors.

I pressed my arm high against the window _. “God Claire. You left a wake of destruction in your path. They still remember you, no matter how hard we wiped your existence from easy reach. This time is different. We don’t have anyone to stop us… not after what you did two years ago. You made sure of that.”_

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

 

                  The sun bore a multitude of rays into my side as I sat back down at my desk. Although the building typically kept the air conditioning blasted to a cool 20 Celsius during the summer months, I remained unusually cyclic. At the moment I became hot and uncomfortable as my thoughts strayed back to Aren…. or should I say President Sanna. My jaw began to quiver.

                  _“What agenda does he have?”_

I bit my lip to stop the questioning. _“There is a good reason he didn’t tell me. Leave it at that. Ask him tonight.”_

_“He is hiding something…”_

_“He will tell me tonight. It’s fine.”_

“Claire! You aren’t listening!” the unmistakable sound of papers hit my desk releasing me from my mind.

                  Startled, I jolted back in my chair not able to shake of the tingles running through my nervous system. “Oh, Mr. Wakkaido. I-I’m sorry. I was just…” I began to shuffle random papers on the desk not really sure what I attempted to grasp.

                  “Claire, it’s ok. I know you were just at the nurse’s office. Maybe you should take off early today?”

                  I looked up as Mr. Wakkaido rubbed both hands down his face pulling at his skin. He seemed frustrated. “No I’m fine. Is there anything I can do to help? I finished most of my work on Friday so I don’t have much to go over today.”

                  “You’re the only one who would ever admit that. Too good of an employee, especially for this department.”

                  I could only stare blankly at him not reproaching the comment seemed the right course of action. He continued.

                  “I could use your help. Let’s talk in my office. Bring the papers I just put on your desk.”

                  “Yes. I’ll be right in.”

                  I started to shuffle the papers in front of me as I looked upon Mr. Wakkaido walking back to his office. Nuru Wakkaido, a prodigy with computers and also a cannon eccentric. He is a strange mix of all things intellectual, nerdy, ditzy, somber, and erratic. I usually addressed him with honorifics in the presence of others, but behind closed doors he is just Nuru.

                  I am thankful for this distraction. As I closed the doors to Nuru’s office he hit me with a project that we would need to prepare a presentation for the return of President Sanna. Nuru had the meeting on Thursday and needed all the help he could gather until then. He also promised me that instead of having my normal Wednesdays off I could have off on Friday. Readily agreeing we mapped out the ins and outs of the completion, progress, and hiccups the product coding team had incurred in the past few months. Although I don’t like to pat myself on the back too much, I made Nuru’s comment of me being “too good of an employee” ring true as I kept a pulse on everything that happened with the coders. It only took us a few hours instead of a few days to prepare the bulk of the presentation.

                  The digital clock hanging on the wall in Nuru’s office switched to 4:00pm. Grateful for the chance to escape my thoughts, I felt a tad bit better about going home tonight, that was until a knock on the door interrupted our cleaning of Nuru’s desk.

                  “Mr. Wakkaido, Claire, I am sorry to interrupt, but there is a message from the President’s suite.” The secretary for the coding department clung to the door frame after she opened it.

                  Nuru’s voice started to waiver, “Tell them I’ll be there in a moment.”

                  “I’m sorry Mr. Wakkaido, but the message is actually for Claire. The President’s assistant called down and said he would like for her to come up before leaving.”

                  _“What? Not now. I haven’t been able to think about what I am going to say to him.”_ My body temperature seemed to rise a hundred degrees.

I turned to Nuru who returned my gaze. “We are done for the day Claire you can go.” 

                  “Andrew said you can go right up.” The secretary piped in.

                  “Um…ok.” the air going into my lungs is heavier than before.

                  My steps were slow. They were calculating. It is all I can focus on as I watch our secretary glide back to her desk as I make my way to the elevators. Once inside my hands start to shake as I press the top button labeled “Suite” instead of number. Seconds drag by and then the ding of the elevators signaled the time to step off. The brightness strikes me. This whole level is covered in natural light or at least whatever money can buy to seem as natural as possible. The walls, the floors, they are covered in marble laced with black. Although Aren Sanna is only the President of a company, with this décor he mine as well be the President of this country. A long hallway to one side drags to what I assume are the offices of the most important people in this company, but first I see the main reception desk with a young man behind it.

                  “Miss Bricet, the President is waiting for you. Allow me to show you to his office.” The young man rounds the desk and ushers into the hallway before me. As we walk down the hall I notice that while there is a multitude of glass allowing the light to soak in, there are many office doors with solid, heavy wood that remained closed.

                  The young man before me must have sensed my curiosity, “All of the board members already left for the day since they were working on Sunday. President Sanna will show you the way out after you are done with the meeting.”

                  “Oh, thank you.” My voice stated. My inner voice had a different monologue, _“Only me and him left…. Alone. Why am I nervous?”_

The young man led me to the last office with the double doors. “Go on in.” He smiled as he touched the wood, but did not push.

                  “Thank you” I nodded standing in front. The young man already made his way back down the hall, leaving me.

                  _“Maybe I should leave. He doesn’t know where I…”_

I stopped. Of course he knows where I live. I’m treating him like he is two different people. He is Aren no matter if there is a title before it or not.

                  _“Right, Claire. C’mon this is part of not running away.”_

I inhaled deeply and placed my hands against the doors. I pushed open one of the doors and stepped inside to the President’s office. Just as glamorous as expected. An even richer, oak clad desk stood in front of the floor to ceiling windows. Aren, standing behind the desk noticed me and put his fingers to his lips. There were voices booming from his office telephone and as he turned I saw a headset attached to one of his ears. He waved me over to the left side of the room, which contained a sofa, table, and leather clad chairs. I obliged, thankful that our first encounter had been interrupted by business.

                  From what I gathered the meeting I had encroached upon were attorneys fighting over a legal issue that arose in acquiring real estate. I tried to be respectful and block out the conversation, knowing that this is something a lowly employee should not be privy to.  A suction sound cut into the voices and the closing of drawer. Loud enough for someone in the room to notice, but not on the other side of a phone.

                  A few seconds passed then a water bottle drifted in my vision. I graciously reached for it not making any eye contact. The bottle floated away from me, swaying in the air. This caused me to look up, meeting Aren’s gaze. He stood to close to me. This newness of our relationship had drastically changed in one day. We are no longer equals. He figuratively and literally stands far above me.

                  A grin spread across him and his eyes started to fill with a lingering question. His suit coat removed leaving the sleeves of his shirt rolled up, exposing the tan he received from Saturday. I tried to squash those thoughts, but failed miserably. My knees clenched together.

                  Plink. The sound of plastic hitting the glass table a few feet away. A black box that looked like a telephone placed on top with voices starting to emerge. After placing the phone onto the table he also placed the water bottle. He stood tall once again this time slowly moving closer to me. His fingers reached the top of his collar and started to undo the tie wrapped around his neck. He finished by undoing the top few buttons, baring his neck and base of his collarbone.

                  I averted my eyes only to look at my clenched knees. No good. His hand dropped to my thigh reaching in-between and pulling it away from the other.  I gasped. “Shhh” he fell forward clapping his other hand across my mouth making the sound into my ear. His knee rested on the cushion beside my leg, the other kept him standing above me. He removed the hand covering my mouth, grazing my cheek, then tipping my jaw upwards to meet his lips.

                  Forgetting who he is, I parted my lips allowing his tongue to enter, passionately beginning the caressing of mine. The voices from the phone on the table seemed to drown into a vat of liquid allowing my mind to relax. His hand left my jaw and began trailing down my neck, taking my hand, then meeting my thigh. I felt him pick up my leg as we continued kissing. Then something tightened around one of my wrists. Aren did not let me break away from the kiss. His tongue pressed in harder as I felt my other leg being lifted and my wrist carefully placed on top. The same sensation tightened around. I broke away this time as he nipped at my lips. Our encounter caused my panting to heavily increase. I looked down now pulling to free myself, but was stopped from two neckties. One on each thigh, tying me down.

                  I could not move, only sway a bit to the side. My heart started to pound. Blood started to rush down to my pubic area. I could feel everything starting to tingle. I pulled once again at the neckties.

                  “I said I would tie you up.” He whispered into my ear.

                  My head rolled to the side, my eyes closed as he began kissing earlobe, behind, then trailing down to my neck. I let out a small moan and pulled against the restraints. This new sensation started to cause a hyper awareness. My breathing picked up, a small moan escaped.

                  “Shhh” he came back up.

                  At that instant a voice cut in, “Sanna, what do you recommend?”

                  His mouth pulled away from my skin, but his body did not. His soft voice changed into something more demonizing, more cut throat that is necessary for answering the unknown voices. I could feel the weight of him removed from the sofa. I opened my eyes to track him as he walked back over to his desk, opening the drawer then closing it – all the while remaining on his speech. As he made his way back I could see what he held. Scissors.

                  I started to squirm pulling against my restraints. The ties, though made of silk, bit into my skin as the knots were tight. His knee rested back on the sofa as he continued to talk. His hands free reached down to the bottom of my sweater and shirt. He lifted it off of my skin. I stopped moving, staying completely still, holding my breath. He started to cut the material. It is the act of a sadist. Though my clothes were cheap and could easily be replaced, his dominance started to unravel me.

                  The air licked my skin as he finished the cut all the way up. He parted the clothing to rest against the sides of my breasts. He declined to cut my brassiere and placed the scissors on the table behind him. I could only imagine what he saw. Myself, tied up, unable to move. My nipples already poking through the see through material. Saliva began pooling in my mouth.

                  “….we should proceed with the deal. Give them what they are asking for. We may not get anything as juicy as this again.” His fingers danced on my lips. He inserted the tip of his finger into my mouth. “If they decline tell them to go suck it.” His finger went deeper into my mouth playing with my tongue.

                  My cheeks began to fill with unbearable heat. He wanted me to suck his finger. I tried to move my hands. I made a moaning sigh out of frustration. His finger tapped the inside of my cheek. He leaned forward and whispered “Don’t you dare bite. Suck.”

                  His forwardness made the deepest part of me start to tingle. Sensations were flooding my body. I began to suck on his finger as he demanded. I wanted this, but something began bothering. He became demanding where the first time he was more gentle. I continued to suck as he pulled his finger out then pushed it back in.

                  _“No. He was this way the first time as well.”_

                  His head dropped. The tongue flicked against the top of my breast. Teeth scrapped my skin as they pulled away the material. His mouth took my engorged nipple as he started to suck and swirl it. I couldn’t help myself I moaned.

                  He broke away, turning around to the black box on the table. “Sorry its cutting off. We will schedule another meeting if necessary, but I believe we secured everything.” There was a click and then he turned back taking my other breast in his mouth while the other hand caressed.

                  His kisses started to trace down my sternum to my belly. The top of my pants became undone.

                  “Aren” I panted. “Untie me. You can’t get these off.” I tugged against the ties.

                  Not responding he continued to kiss me. The ties loosened from me. In a swift motion he pulled them off, taking my panties with it and throwing the clothing to the side. Wasting no time his tongue dipped into me. The neckties around my wrists and thighs tightened once again.

                  _“What is this?”_ the hyper awareness of not being able to move made my skin ten times more sensitive. His tongue lapping against me, started the elevated the intensity. My body, giving in to him, began the climb.

                  His arms wrapped around the back part of my hips and buttocks. He moved me closer to the edge of the sofa, continuing the spread of my legs. Looking down I could see his hazelnut colored hair followed by the waves of caramel. I wanted to run my fingers through his hair. His tongue continued the assault as he pulled my legs further apart.

                  I grunted and leaned my head back. The neckties bit into my skin as my body was about to give way to the vibrations. The whimpers started to escape. My mind became hazy. I wanted to shout for him to let me go, to let me touch him, but nothing came out. In that moment his tongue seemed to expand. With one last lick, my body began to convulse. I pulled against the neckties crying out. They were frustrating, but at the same time, allowed me to have the hardest and deepest orgasm I’ve experienced thus far.

                  I could not sit up. The convulsions made my muscles grow weak and unstable. My body now weightless wanted to flop backwards on the sofa. Aren slipped his arms around my upper back, bringing me forward, our session extending as he began to explore my tongue with his. He drew back, slightly. Stroking loose pieces of hair behind my ears down to my neck he spoke softly.

                  “Are you ready to go home? It’s been a long day. While this has been fun, I shouldn’t make the habit of doing this in the work place. Besides, the bed will be more comfortable than this stiff sofa.”

                  _“Home”_ The sincerity in his eyes had made me forget about what happened today. _“Don’t forget, Claire.”_

Aren pressed himself upwards, taking my silence as a yes that I was ready to go home. I leaned forward seizing my pants off the floor and promptly putting them back on. Then I realized while my pants had survived my shirt had not been so lucky. Before I said anything Aren returned with a t-shirt in his hand.

                  “Here. I definitely don’t want you leaving here with just this on.” He reached touching my collarbone down to the top of my breast. “Hmmmm, I did not think you wore sexy things like this to work. Were you expecting this?”

                  “No!” I squealed at his teasing. I swatted his hand away and covered my breasts that could be seen through the transparent material.

                  He laughed as I took the shirt then it was my turn. I giggled. “A Slayer t-shirt?”

                  “Oh… yeah. Got into them when I was at university. Their gut wrenching lyrics always made me into a moody teenager. Went to a few concerts, but haven’t listened to them in a long time.”

                  “Oh.”

                  How many times in his life has he experienced things like this? High school, College, going to concerts. He has likes and I’m sure has dislikes. I’ve only lived for two years. There has not been enough time to form any opinions about anything. No time to form memories. Why am I so concerned?

                  _“it isn’t what it seems”_ a voice nagged inside.

“What are you thinking about?” 

                  “Aren?” I looked up from the shirt in my hands. “I can’t let you come back to the house with me.” I looked away.

                  “Claire?” he titled my head back to him.

                  I jerked away from the warmth of him. The dazzling brilliance he bestowed on me had clouded my judgement. I had given myself so easily to him not considering why a mysterious stranger came into my house a few nights ago. I closed my eyes, clutching the shirt. “Did you know me when I was the CEO of RadX? I heard I was a bad person, but I don’t remember, and if you are trying to get something out of me, I wouldn’t…” His lips encircled mine and his hand gently caressed the hair behind my ear. Aren pulled me into his chest, now wrapping his arms around me. “Don’t distract me.” My voice weak and shaky.

                  “I’m sorry. You were just about to worry for no reason.” A kiss on the top of my head. “I should have told you earlier, but like you said I got distracted.” He sighed. “I never knew you in a personal manner when you were at RadX.” The tension released from me, “Of course a lot of people, including myself knew about the CEO – a young woman who came out of nowhere, well on her way to building an empire. There is only one time that we met, but…”

                  “But what?” I pushed away from him landing my hands on his chest.

                  “You were just as you were now. Did not say much, sweet, had that cute expression that you always have.” My cheeks were on fire. “Just like that.” He laughed. “There weren’t many words exchanged between us, so there is not really much to tell. Like I said, when you were CEO, I didn’t really know you.”

                  He is being sincere. Though the more I looked into his eyes, he seemed to be lost somewhere else. A different time, a different place, somewhere that never held the existence of my current self. I was right to think that he stood far above me. He is in a world I could never reach.

                  “Can I still come back to the house? My apartment really did have an infestation and that sofa isn’t really all that comfortable. Besides, we have business to attend to.”

                  “What business?”

                  Aren swooped down and lifted me up behind the knees so that I became positioned in his arms. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

                 

                  For the first time in a while I actually cared about weekends. After our encounter on Monday, Aren had erred on the side of not inviting me up to his office. This really did not bother me because there would be no way I could focus on work. Besides, for the next few weeks, I had him every night from dinner to bedtime, capped with a dessert made purely of Claire Bricet (his words, not mine). The promise of getting to know him started to come to fruition. On top of learning his success in the business world, I started to notice little things, like how he seemed to have a distaste for green peppers, but would eat the red, yellow, or orange ones. The stubble on his chin and neck would start to grow back in after a couple days, making him look ridiculously god like. With all these small progressions, my heart began to grow with assurance that pursuing love would be fine. But, I could feel it. A small….something…. lurking on the inside of my heart.

                  Every night when I laid my head down the dream of the beach, the cat, me being pulled down into the sand, warped into my mind. There had been no real progress. I woke just before I could see what the science experiment of black goo had developed into. I gathered what strength I had inside and started to lock away this nightly dream into the far reaches of my mind. My heart ached to do this, but I could not show this weakness. It became apparent that burying these thoughts along with the past would be the only way to continue the forward momentum of my new and beautiful life. This thought was the right choice, until…

                  “Auntie?”

                  L.G. tugged on the pockets of my capris. The measured row of the wide double gate marked the end of the Perry’s garden and the beginning of the forest. I must have been standing there for some time as the high noon sun had now fallen to the west by a couple hours. The late June weather continued to rage like a hot furnace, but just yesterday a storm had rolled through, dampening the grass and cooling the atmosphere.

                  This morning Aren had left on a business trip for the remainder of the week. He briefly mentioned there is a political summit in France, one of such great importance, it would determine EchoS position as a world leader in the environmental sector. He stated with a passionate gaze that future trips would be fewer and far between. I went with him to the airport, a driver picking us up from the house, and as I kissed him before he dashed through security he said those three words. Ones that I had a complex about, but they seemed more than. My mind became full. My heart became light. For the first time in a while the passion seemed to overtake the fear.

                  My leg started to go numb as L.G. clung to it, “Right. L.G. stay here with Auntie Mari. I’m not sure how long its going to take and there might be some tough spots.”

                  L.G. nodded then released my leg. She became instantly distracted by a passing bunny and ran back to the patio where Mari watered the potted plants. I viewed the path ahead of me and moved one step at a time, attempting to shake off the apprehension as I entered the forest.

                  I would not say I have bad luck, just an interesting sort of luck, maybe it is coincidence, maybe something more. When Aren left on his business trip, I had limited time to think on what those three words meant. Only a few minutes into the drive back, I received a call from Mrs. Aberthall stating that with the illness of her brother, a family “issue” (more like scandal from her tone) arose.  She did not go into details and I did not ask. Since Aren would be away for the week I readily offered to watch L.G., until their return on Saturday. Today, on the last day of my short weekend, L.G. and myself paid a visit to the Perry’s. Upon coming into the home, it became apparent Charry had turned crankier than the thunderstorm the previous night. 

                  She complained the weather affected her joints and usually was able to “ride it out”, but this time she could not stand the amount of pain she was in. I suggested going to the pharmacy to refill prescriptions or take her to the doctor. What I found out, through hysterical laughter, is that Charry Perry was more on the holistic side when it came to pain management. This meant, hiking through the woods and finding the location of medicinal plants Charry had secretly planted a long time ago. She even provided me with a map. The map had aged. Yellow notebook paper below a layer of faded colored pencils. Oddly detailed to include kilometers between noted objects. Too stunned to reject the notion, I agreed.

                  This is the situation I am in now. Hiking through the woods in order to find plants. I would normally be fine with a task like this, but the woods gave off an eeriness, even if the daylight shone through the branches. I had only been walking for about ten minutes, yet the fence and houses were well out of sight. A turn here and a turn there by what looked like a deserted tree house. The incline began, though only slightly, until I had reached a small apex, nearly thirty minutes later. I had taken a wrong turn at one point, but doubled back. According to the map, the plants should be within less than a hundred-meter radius.

                  The wind blew through the leaves. I titled my head upwards, staying still. Unsettling. Where did the chirping go? There. My eye caught a flash of light positioned to my left, further in-between the trees. I decided not to follow the flash of light, but when I continued to stare at the spot, my vision hovered over trampled grass and what looked like a small path that had once been frequented. The wind began to blow stronger. A shiver crawled up my spine.

                  _“Don’t be stupid. It’s probably some lost camping gear. Charry said there were trails a few miles away. The plants should be near.”_

I propelled myself forward at that comment. Usually I would take some time to mull things over, but if the wind continued to pick up, it would mean another storm would be coming through. I needed to hurry. I quickly walked down the narrow path that was surrounded by trees. As a few minutes passed the dirt turned to trampled down grass and the trees towered higher. Shrubs grabbed at my shirt and pants. My way became blocked to a huge overgrown shrubbery that seemed to stretch for an unknown length. I decided to push through, the twigs snapping and beginning to break across my face. I felt a nick on my neck and with that made one last push.

                  I stumbled through, my knees and hands touching the dirt ground. “Ah, that hur…” turning up my palms the cuts could not be missed.  Blood started to ooze out.

                  _“No”_ the terror in me began to build.

                  I frantically looked up. My eyes darting back and forth. My breathing becoming unstable. The trees hung so closely together, blocking out the majority of the sun’s rays. I looked down again at my bloody palms then at the dirt below. Following the trajectory, my mind functioned enough to make out the fact that I fell into a circle. Too perfect. Too unnatural. Man-made.

                  I heard it then. The artificial vacuum sound turned on. My heart raced. I was surely going to die.

 _“Aren”_ tears started to form, blurring my vision.

                  “I don’t want to die!” I screamed.

                  Just then the vacuum sound seemed to stop, but the sound of a multitude of tree branches breaking and snapping crashed through to my ears. I backed away, my hands digging into the earth retreating from the outer ring of the circle to the inside. Just then a figure clothed in darkness broke through where I had just been momentarily.

                  “No!” I screamed. Shutting my eyes tightly and holding my hands up to protect myself. _“Aren, those three words… don’t forget me.”_

                  Silence.

                  I counted the heartbeats. Two hundred and twenty in all. Silence remained. I decided that even though I never felt the ground sucking me in, I had probably died. Is this what death is like? I need to wake from this and face my new reality even if that met traveling to the world beyond.

                  “EerrrUmmmaahhh.” A loud groan echoed.

_“You’re not dead yet, Claire.”_

At the beckoning of the inner voice and the sound I slowly opened one eye at a time, peaking through my eyelashes at first, then wide eyed at the scene before me. While a figure clothed in darkness had not been a part of my imagination, there was some exaggeration. Face down in the dirt a long mess of braided and loose hair flowed from the head of its owner. The elbow all the way down to the feet had been swathed in a darker material, a mixture of gray and green. It is definitely a person not a science experiment. Relief started to relax the developing tension in my muscles.

                  “EerrrUmmmaahhh. That hurt. Wind knocked out of me.” This person’s hands gripped the dirt beneath as they pushed themselves upward to sit on their bottom. The golden mane threw me off at first, but as they….no, as he sat up his eyes met mine.

                  The ethereal vision sent shock waves to my core.

 I gasped, “Who are you?”

“Oh” he rubbed the back of his neck and then twisted his shoulder. A loud pop occurred. “I’m Flory. I guess you could call me…” he paused, puckering his lips “Ah! A backpacker!” his fingers snapped.

“Wh-what are you doing out here? This is miles away from a trail.” my words scrambled over my tongue not wanting to believe in this reality.

“Your hands.” His voice soft, cratered in a faint foreign accent. He turned around and quickly began to rummage through a backpack. When he found a small red box he scooted over to me, taking one hand in his and the other scooped out some materials. He ripped open an antiseptic wipe and began removing the blood from my palms. I twitched as the alcohol stung.

“Sorry.” He looked up into my eyes.

I breathed in. His eyes were an unnatural. The outside a deep green like the lush moss that clung to the river banks. The inside circle lightened up a fair amount. I became lost in them, my mouth hanging open, I wanted to touch them. I wanted to see their color, the amazement, the wonder behind…

 _“Don’t”_ a twinge inside my mind knocked my thoughts away.

I had been holding my breath. The cream he retrieved from his kit squirted onto my palm. The cooling effect welcomed as he began to swirl the bandaged around my right hand. The other hand he made quick work of.

“What are you doing out here?” my question returned to me through his voice.

I tried to avert myself looking directly into his eyes. I could now see that he was fairly young. Maybe eighteen, no older than a college aged student. His voice, however, held an easiness to it. One without the rush of the new world. One not caught up in any types of problems.

“I was looking for something.”

“What did you lose?”

“I… don’t know.” I caught myself. I was going to say the plants, but his question immediately threw me off. Why did he assume I lost something?

“Well we all lose things sometimes. I lost my backpack a few weeks ago. Went down to a river then completely forgot where my camp was. I guess you could say I lost my memory for a moment.”

“Memory.” The word tasted strange on my tongue.

He secured the bandage, then dropped to clean up the remnants of the supplies he used.

“This little area seems like it has been used quite a lot. Maybe what you lost is near here?”

“I don’t think so. No one really comes back here from what I’ve heard. Besides, I’ve never been in these woods before.”

“Oh? Don’t you live near here?”

“I do, only for the past year.”

“Seems like you would have been here before.”

“I-I’m sorry, I don’t understand.” He became perplexing to me.

“Sorry, sometimes I get lost in my thoughts and start to mix up conversations.” He smiled. “Just one word of advice if you’ve never been in this place before. If you keep walking North, there are some taller hills that turn into mountains. There is a big cliff that falls into a ravine. You’ll see the cave first so that’s a hint the cliffside is close. Don’t go wandering around at night. You might not want to go into that cave either, unless you had some good climbing equipment.”

“Oh right. Thanks.”

Flory stood up and held out a hand now grasping me by the forearm to pull me up. He started to laugh “You’re a lot shorter than you look. Cute.”

This embarrassed me, but his choice word “cute” made me blush. “Um, thanks for helping me… Flory.” I looked past him to hopefully find more camping gear other than his small backpack. “Is your campsite near? We can go back to my house and I should be able to refill your first aid kit.”

“Oh no its ok. I’m just glad I could help your hands. I’m sorry for scaring you earlier. I heard you scream out that you didn’t want to die. I assume from your viewpoint; you thought I was a big bear.”

“Yeah. That is fair to say.” I looked past him around the circle. My eyes darting to which direction my house would be in.

“Sorry, I forgot, you haven’t been in these woods before. Do you know where your house is?”

“No.” I shook my head.

“That’s alright. I think I may have passed you in the woods, but thought it was a deer at first. I saw what direction you were coming from. I can walk you back most of the way.”

“If you point I should be able to find it. I don’t want to cause any more trouble for you.”

“No problem!”

His stomach took the inopportune time to growl. A small chuckle escaped from both of us. I responded first “Are you sure? I went to the store yesterday and have a lot of groceries.”

“Actually that would be great! I’ve been surviving on plants the past few days.”

“Oh.” I touched my back and side pockets searching for the map Charry had given me. By the suggestion of plants, I suddenly remembered the original reason for adventuring out here. “Um, did you happen to come by a plant with about 5 leaves on it? Smells kind of funny.”

He blinked at me, “Could you mean these?” he reached to the back of his pocket pulling out the exact plants that I needed.

I could not help myself from giggling. I covered my mouth. He continued to blink at me “What?” Flory questioned.

“It’s just… not surprising you would have them.”

“Why?” he asked quizzically not putting the pieces together.

“Well you know what happens when you ingest them.”

“No?” he looked down at the plants in his hand.

“You don’t feel…. Different at all?”

“Well I haven’t had them yet. Was going to tonight. I thought the smell was a little odd, but would go good with something I was able to catch.”

I then explained what the plants actually were. He continued to have a puzzled expression when it finally clicked and said in his home country they had similar ones, but they looked a little differently and carried a different name. A name I could not pronounce. After this quick discussion we decided to head off towards my house so that he could eat a decent meal instead of plants or bugs and take a shower.

Flory gently cradled my wrist into his hands careful not to touch my bandaged palms. Picking up his backpack and leading me out of the circle, we began the quick and slight descent. If I had not been consumed by delusions, I would have clearly seen the circle opened up into more flat land. The density of the trees slowed as we started towards a slight decline and then made its way through a path. It was not the same way I came from the Perrys’, but seemed to go in the right direction, though I really had no clue. I started to count of seconds in my head and within half the time it took me to get to Charry’s marked spot on the map I was looking at the back of my own fence with my house beyond.

I ran up the fence and pushed at the gates. In typical fashion the gates were opened as I pressed through I turned to see Flory a few meters behind me. His eyes were focused on the gates, but to me they appeared as though they were looking beyond. Not just beyond to the house, but misplaced somewhere in a different time.

“Flory?”

His daze broke as his attention returned to me. “Sorry Claire, my thoughts get mixed up sometimes.” His stomach growled “Ah, I’m getting hungry!” Flory started to walk again and pushed past the other gate swinging it open into my yard. He now walked a few meters ahead, leaving me to focus into the beyond. I felt as though I was outside a window peaking in. Though this time, I saw Flory through a cracked window, being reflected many times over.

The thought then hit me _. “I don’t believe I told him my name.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> END NOTE: Hi Everyone! Thanks for sticking with me on the first draft of this story and thank you to the new followers I just received over the weekend! I’m jittery with excitement or is that the obscene amounts of iced coffee flowing through my veins?!?! My song(s) of the week? “Queen” and “Fallin’ All in You” by Shawn Mendes and Ori and the Blind Forest (soundtrack) by Gareth Coker. Don’t forget to follow this story! I have many chapters to go until the end and update every 1-2 weeks.


	5. The Last Man

Chapter 5: The Last Man

Word Count: 5942

"I've never liked vehicles. Trains, cars, boats, even bicycles! They all make my stomach feel uneasy." Flory sat across from me, knees pulled up to his chest and head leaning in between the head rest and window of the seat. His arm crossed his stomach while the left held onto a shopping bag I managed to procure from the train attendants.

I nodded, "Only ten more minutes and we will be there. I'm sorry." I fiddled with my fingers "I really need to get to work on time."

"Oh it's ok Claire, I'm not blaming you. The only thing that never made me sick is flight. Usually I can hang on for a while."

Flory tightened his grip around his stomach attempting to stifle a small groan. The shopping bag moved closer to his mouth. I said nothing, but wanted to retort "We are opposites then." As one can imagine when you were in a plane crash whether or not you remembered it, the thought of flight did not seem appeasing anymore. In fact, when I moved to this place I rented a cabin on a freight ship. Being stranded at sea and giving a fighting chance (perhaps finding an island to live on for some time) seemed more appealing than being consumed in burning flames.

I shook the thought from my mind. Flory closed his eyes. To distract myself the remembrance of yesterday clouded into my mind and how it transitioned to yet another Monday.

After Flory came home with me yesterday, I had made sure to give him a proper meal after the comments of living on plants for the past few days. He was beyond grateful, but as I noticed did not overeat to the occasion. L.G. had become particularly enthralled with Flory, curious on the intricate braids and various small pieces of metal that adorned his golden mane. He smiled answering her questions in a very non dominant manner, almost removing himself from a typical 20-year-old male role and placing himself in the shoes of an eight-year-old girl. He ended up braiding her hair in a simple way and after dinner showed L.G. how to make a flower crown. I only watched. Flory did not engage me much and I, contently decided not to engage him as well.

Flory's presence became eerily different than Aren. While the man who came into my house that fateful evening had a domineering edge, Flory had a peacefulness. As he made the crown with L.G. I could see them entranced in their own little world. For most of my new life I could only see those people on the other side and they could not see me. The glass was not reciprocal until Flory met my gaze. His soul seemed to touch mine and begin to gently pull me along. The tug was not like a passionate lover, but as an old friend. Someone who I formed a bond with long ago. The thought, not lost, that I should not have invited Flory to the house as I was alone with a little girl did cross my mind. Although he touched my soul his genetic makeup still sent a tiny sliver of worriment up my spine. Should I have let a man, someone who is not Aren, into my house? Would my love be tested? Those thoughts ridiculous, but I did make sure at bedtime to have L.G. sleep in my room and lock the door for extra measure.

This morning when I woke, Flory did not steal the television or the laptop, but instead made a huge mess in the kitchen. Flour, beaten eggs, and milk split all over the counters. The fire alarm whizzing through the air as the bacon burst into charred smoke. Flory burnt his fingers making me do a horrible clean up job that would have to wait until after work. As I retrieved the burn salve and wrapped Flory's fingers, just as he had wrapped my hands yesterday, we both looked at each other and began to laugh. We then rushed out the door with L.G. Flory had insisted he come along to the city to check for some supplies. As we boarded the train Flory's nauseous stomach led us to where we are right now.

The digital voice sounded. Only another minute until arrival. Upon hearing this Flory immediately stood up and ran to the train doors. The train halted, the doors parted, and Flory fell out onto the platform. I did not react fast enough and had to wait as a few eager gentlemen pushed in front of me. As I exited the train, there Flory sat rubbing his head.

"Did you hit your head?" I became slightly alarmed at the fact I may need to make a detour to the hospital.

"Ah-ha. No someone hit me with their bag."

"They do that especially at this time." I extended a hand, bracing myself as Flory almost pulled me down with him. As he stood up I reached into my bag digging into the wallet. "Here, is a business card with the address where I work. Meet me at 4:00pm in the lobby. Just ask for me and the receptionist will call. Also take this.." I placed the business card and some money into his hand.

"Claire, I don't need all this."

"It's ok. You didn't bring any water with you and you'll get hungry from walking around in the city heat. Just meet me at that address at 4, ok?"

I don't know if he would continue to protest so I made sure to turn on my heel waving at him as he stood alone on the platform. I rushed out of the station and made the short walk to EchoS, hoping Flory would be fine in the noisy city.

…...

There had only been a twenty-minute separation of time from when I left Flory at the train station. I rushed to my office, dropping my bag at the desk, then rummaging through to find the delicious bagel spread with cream cheese and lox, I picked up at the station. Usually I did not eat breakfast, but with L.G. in the house I made an exception. As I logged onto the computer and unwrapped the bagel, the appearance of Aisley coming down the hall made my stomach begin to turn. I dropped down underneath my desk hoping she would not notice.

Aisley and I had a good working relationship. She liked me, we would have lunch together, but she is dangerous. Her claws sunk in deep. She could literally be holding the heart of the workplace its pulse beating slowly in her hands. Even though no one suspected the President was living in my house or of our relationship dynamic, Aisley Maddow would be the one to find out. So for this reason I have been avoiding her. Ducking around corners, making excuses that I had so much work to finish I could not possibly take a lunch break.

As I dropped underneath my desk, I gasped. Pain shot through my knees up to my hips. I could feel my muscles and bones burning underneath my scars.

"I must have tweaked something last night in the forest."

My gasp made the co-workers on either side push their chairs back, one reaching down and loudly shouting "Claire! Are you alright!?"

"Thanks a lot."

"Oh Claire, what happened? If you fell out of the chair we may need to file a worker's comp." Aisley's usual irritated voice about such things had been replaced with a sing song tune. I looked up confused.

"Um no I was searching for a pencil. My hip just hurts. Nothing related to work." Next to Aisley stood Aren's assistant – Andrew. The color in my face must have drained, realizing that even though Aisley had yet to discover my relationship with Aren, the assistant definitely knew. Aisley and Andrew two people who should not be next to each other.

"Here let me help you." Andrew reached down, gently clasping his hand into mine and pulling me upwards. A small shot of pain raced up my legs, but I bit down the small noise that wanted to escape my throat.

"Thanks." I patted down my shirt.

"Claire. I have some exciting news."

"Oh." My enthusiasm became lost. Aisley chewed her lip trying to bit back her exacerbation. No way would she show her bitchy side to Aren's assistant.

"Come on be excited Claire! Pack up your stuff, you are being transferred to the Trading department!"

"What?!" I shouted a little too loudly. All the pitter patters of keyboards dimmed.

Aisley leaned in "A promotion Claire. You've apparently impressed one of the higher ups." Her eyebrow arched. The sweat began to form on the back on my neck.

"Um, I'm so new here. I don't know if I would be the right fit up there."

Truth be told the Trading department (tied to the Finance department) is one of the highest level, high octane, high strung places to be. It is a place I wanted to avoid. Having myself placed in that position scarred me. At least under Mr. Wakkaido I could complete my work and not fear any type of competition that would bring out my forgotten self. One far worse than Bitchy Aisley.

"Oh not to worry, Claire!" Aisley positioned herself behind me, slapping my back. I coughed. She leaned in close to my ear, "You'll be so much closer to his office."

I remember seeing a television show about an awkward British man who audibly gulped whenever he became nervous. His adam apple enlarged as the ball of saliva drained back down his throat. The same just happened to me. Aisley Maddow knew about Aren.

"Ah-ha,ha." I could only make a faint laugh.

"Well its settled! Everyone say good-bye to Claire! She is moving up to the trading department for quite some time." Aisley turned around, waving to everyone to come and say their departing remarks. Aisley snatched my bag neglecting to bring the bagel I so desperately wanted a few minutes ago. As I said thank you to everyone and tried to whisper "I'll be back soon" Aisley yanked me away, dragging my hypothetical comatose body to the elevator. She punched the button right below the one labeled "Suite" and away we went to my new desk.

As the elevators opened, I could only see the backs of numerous men in their perfectly pressed shirts and black pants. A wave of hands in the air, hooting, hollering, screaming. I backed away.

"Claire what are you doing?" Aisley chimed.

"N-No. You can't make me." I whispered. My legs shaking both in fear and pain. "You said you were my friend. You, you could just say I am not cut out for this…"

"Oh?" her eyebrow raised again. The same smirk, the same mischief that clouded Aren's expression now glowed in Aisley. "I never said I was your friend, Claire. You're just entertainment." In one swift motion Aisley jerked my arm forward and threw my outside the elevator. I nearly tripped as I stepped off.

I bumped into one of the men. He did not seem to notice since it became so crowded. Everyone, side to side, nearly back to front. Before I was able to turn around and beg Aisley for reconsideration, the elevator door closed. At least I did hear Andrew say "Was that really necessary?", before the wolves chewed at my body.

"Why is it so packed? Why are they so close to the elevator?"

I could simply wait a few moments to go back down and explicitly state there had been some sort of mistake. Though if Aisley and Andrew were involved I doubt there had been. I could also call Aren and ask for his help.

"No. I can't bother him. This business trip is really important."

Something pushed me to the side, causing my balance to be thrown off. I fell to the floor on the side. My hands managed to brace me, but my legs gave out. The pain from my upper thighs to hips, and the previously cut (not bandaged now) palms racked my system. Before I could bring my mind to overcome the pain and coax my muscles to move, I felt a hand on my back.

"Are you ok? Hey you! Yeah you, watch where you are going!" the hand pressed harder and an arm wrapped around my body.

The shouting and yelling seemed to quiet down only slightly. The person kneeling down next to me had a response from someone else. Only a few grumbles. My vision racking itself to come back from the pain.

"Here come to my office." The hand moved around my waist as we staggered upwards.

I said nothing. Only focused on trying to bite down the tears that wanted to form. Although I rarely cried due to emotions when physical discomfort hit my system it became easy to allow to the water to pool at the corners of the eyelids. The short walk to the office proved more difficult with the bodies of what seemed like a thousand men shouting like they were about to siege a village. My rescuer kept his arm wrapped around me, securing me into his side. The black cloth of his jacket is all that could be made out as he pushed the people in front of us.

A few men who were in the surrounding crowd turned around at the push and began the same sentence "Hey what the…?", but oddly closed their mouths as if they had just seen a ghost. The wooden doors, signaling an office came near, within a few footsteps. Bad luck turned once again as I felt something cold and wet splash onto my pants. The pants became soaked. I looked down in front of my shoes. Plastic, rubber, it had been a water balloon.

"They have no idea what is coming to them." rage vibrated from the person next to me. The arm left my body.

I now saw the back of my rescuer touching the shoulder of one of the other men in the department. The closest one to us. Corded bracelets dangled off his wrist. He did not turn his head, but the other man did. A wave of shock went through him, his body visibly tensed up. The one who had been touched, almost as if that single sensation turned him to stone, immediately stopped. The rescuer, clothed in all black from where I could see, did the same thing to the next couple men, moving deeper into the circle until the crowd parted on its own.

At the core of the party, laid a scene. I moved slightly, obstructed by the man who had picked me up, to see three men in the center. A stream of champagne jetted off just as another tossed water balloons into the crowd. By this time the crowd had realized my rescuers presence and the ones in the center became aware as the champagne fizzled out.

"My, my, quite the celebration we are having." The rescuer who had helped me sounded kind, this version had the undertones of a vicious hyena who was prepared to rip open anyone that did not pick up on the disdain.

"B-boss!" one of the men kneeling down at the inflated pool of water balloons.

The other one with the champagne scrambled "Matty just cashed in a huge play. We are up a few million and the price is climbing."

The Boss as the one with the bubbly spirits proclaimed, raised his hands beginning a slow clap. He started to move again more towards the center, stalking his prey. "Up a few million? Congratulations gentlemen. You begin trashing the office for pennies. Wait until you've slummed through the networks, through the stocks day in and day out, analyzing the crash, the upswing. Wait until 3:30pm when that play Matthew just made comes crashing down."

"Boss, what are you talking about?"

"Talking about?" he started to laugh "You fucking idiots. Just as you began flinging your shit you've forgotten one thing." He pointed to one of the jumbo television monitors littered across the office. "Turn it up." Is all he said.

Someone fumbled through the crowd turning up the volume on the television. The announcer, a news anchor, talked in a loud monotone voice. The whole office, including myself, listened in. The gist? An accident in the Middle East, involving military personnel and their facilities exploding. The most shocking fact became apparent. This was a pseudo military operation, meaning a group posed as officials from a country. The coverage became clouded – a group called Project Cosmos had been involved in some deep experiments. They were mainly technological from what I gathered, but something had lingered underneath the surface. I now understood "The Boss's" point. EchoS at some point in time, apparently at the behest of Matty, delved into financial ties with Project Cosmos. Now this facility in the Middle East was nothing more than particles of dust burning in flames.

I watched with everyone. Quiet. Silence. Watching the possibility of steel and concrete burning. Multiple militarized cargo planes were on fire. Even the fighting jets worth millions, if not billions, also erupting into explosion after explosion. Then just as the Boss of the department began to speak and everyone turned to him, my eyes became hypnotized in the trance of grainy pixels flashing across the screen. A point of view video shot from an unknown person. A group of people in military attire. One person quickly captured with the designer dress, the blonde hair, and the plastic face. The video frozen.

I breathed in. The air became thick. I started to choke in silence. I stumbled backwards now turning into the wall, slamming my fist repeatedly against it, trying to break up the panic attack, trying to put air back into my lungs.

"Even your new PM knows the weight you will have to carry. Get the fuck out of here you scrub. Your fired." The boss's voice cut in.

There became a scene, though I could not visualize it, I could hear the sobbing Matty being escorted out. Fingers wrapped around my wrist, dragging me into the office I stood before, moments ago pounding on the door. The door closed as soon as I crossed the threshold. My jaw quivering, eyes averted to the ground.

"Breath Claire." The boss's voice reached out just as his fingers titled my chin up gently.

I could barely process him. His face reminded me of Aren.

"Aren"

I missed him. His touch, his lips, his warm honeyed eyes. I needed him to hold me, to wrap me up. To make me forget…

"Forget?... you run so often Claire. You contradict yourself so much. Forget, don't forget. What is it that you want? Do you want to stay inside that glass window for the rest of your life."

"Claire!" my body shaking on its own and with the help of the person before me. Every bone trembling. The dampness on my cheeks. "Why are you crying?" His fingers caressing my cheek wiping away the water that poured from my eyes.

This question partially brought me back "My pants."

"Your pants?"

"They are wet."

I pushed away from him, using the edge of my sweater to wipe the remaining tears and snot that probably dribbled from my nose. I started to cough, choking on a recovering laughter. "That balloon broke on my pants. My legs hurt and it kind of hurts more now."

I looked up now, my vision clear. My mind coming back to the present. The temporary lapse in sanity had forged Aren in front of me, but this is an entirely different person. The medium length dark hair, in contrast to Aren's array of caramel and honey. The build slightly thinner, the eyes darker, the clothing far different from the pristine suits and ties. Handsome, but rough. Angelic, but devilish. An edge laced with something far more intimidating.

He smiled "Take them off, they are soaked, you'll catch a cold if you keep those on. I'll call down to one of the secretaries and have them bring something up. He walked over to his sofa, grabbing a blanket. "Use this. The secretary shouldn't take long."

"Ok." I did not think in that moment the strangeness of taking my pants off in front of an unknown man. I only knew that the dampness soaking into my skin and the previous falls of today were making my legs and hips ache. I removed my flats then unbuckled my thin belt, then the top button, sliding the soaked material to the ground. The thought that I had the foresight to wear a long enough sweater, finally triggered that I now just stripped down to my lacy underwear in front of the boss. Someone probably the same age as me.

I reached out for the blanket "Can I have that?" my fingers curled inwards taking in his reaction.

His eyes focused on my naked legs. His mouth parted. Though my long sweater covered my bottom. It did not cover the scars that started at my knee, running upwards in a ghastly swirl.

"Please." My voice shaking "the blanket."

He snapped, "Oh" he handed the blanket over to which I responded by immediately wrapping myself in, covering my legs completely. I walked over to the sofa, sitting down, trying not to make eye contact.

"I'm sorry for that reaction. I promise I'm usually calm. This was a one-time thing." I bit the inside of my lip, hoping he would believe me.

"Ok." He paused for a few moments, then started to laugh breaking the tension, "I'll let it slide. Besides the reaction you gave the crowd was A plus, you had a sophisticated composure compared to that idiot dragged out."

I sighed with relief at the fact he decided not to press.

"Ah! I completely became caught up in the moment, especially when you fell out of the elevator. I'm Casey, the new director for the traders. We are sure to have a good relationship if you can improvise like that!"

I sighed internally this time. He at least had the decency to make out the whole scene as though I was caught up in some desperate acting troop's last performance. I nodded, trying not to shiver as the numbness radiated up my legs. Casey then left his office.

Alone again. It did not take long only a few minutes as the woman on the television flashed back to my mind. The voice that heckled me. My eyes grew tired then shut as I collapsed onto Casey's sofa.

….

My sleep had been short lived. Less than an hour had gone by when an older woman came into Casey's office, gently shaking me awake. She handed me a pair of plain black pants to which I quickly changed. Almost immediately, Casey came back into the office, stating that it would be best if I continue the rest of the day and orient to the projects of the department. I agreed. The last thing I wanted to do would be having the time to think. Plus, I had to meet Flory at 4:00pm.

The time seemed to zip by quickly. We remained in Casey's office for the rest of the day, the door wide open. Only a few people directly under him dared entered. We had a late lunch together, his secretary bringing us sandwiches, nothing really out of the ordinary, until I felt a few vibrations from my cellphone.

"How are you enjoying your new boss?"

"Isn't he just freaking delicious?!"

"Though…"

"Not as delicious as the one directly above you…"

"I mean the one on top of you."

I had the common sense to swallow my food before reading the texts from Aisley, but I still managed to choke on my saliva. Fortunately, another co-worker entered the room and had begun "driving" on Casey's computer, while he leaned against the desk. They were deep in conversation. Now I had my chance to truly see him.

Casey Farrings the Manager of the Trading Department for EchoS. His dark hair dripping to his shoulders. One side had three braids crossing underneath, long bangs sweeping behind his ear. Earrings adorned both sides. His jawline catching the right angles. If I had not known better, I would say on the weekends he was in some type of heavy metal band. What did he play? The bass? The drums? No, he would definitely be the singer. His voice smooth and deep when he spoke to me. Crass and rumbling when he talked to others. The dark eyes matching the hair would leave you mesmerized. If he sung to you on the stage and made eye contact, I could see where he would easily pull you in.

My cheeks flushed.

"Claire? Do you need me to walk you home?"

Casey leaned into my space his shoulder touching mine. It snapped me out of my recollection of this afternoon. Time had passed by as we descended in the elevator, now chiming for us to depart.

"No, I'll be ok. Thank you" Our heels clicked against the marble.

"It's really no trouble." Casey pushed the door open with one arm allowing me to exit first.

"Claire. I've only known you for a few hours, but after today, I don't think your baseline is to space out like that." His hand touched my shoulder, not leaving.

I turned around and held up my hand "Thank you Mr. Farrings for your concern. I have a friend who has been in the city all day and meeting me here so we can ride the train together."

"Mr. Farrings?" he laughed. "I only expect the men to call me by my last name. Adding the Mister makes me seem old. Just use my first name Miss Bricet. Or is it Mrs.?"

I lifted my left hand higher "Claire will do just fine, Farrings."

He continued to laugh, "You're interesting Claire Bricet. Please though call me Casey. A first name basis should be ok between us, besides, I've already seen your panties." His hand moved down my shoulder, his fingers putting gently pressure on my arm. They steadily walked their way towards my wrist, but then broke off at the sound of my name.

"Claire!" Flory shouted running to me. "I had some trouble finding the place. I really went far into the city!" When he bounded up the stairs, he slowed down then recollection struck "Oh hi! I did not expect to see you here. Though I'm not quite sure why you wouldn't be here." Flory touched the back of his neck, directing his eye sight towards Casey.

My eyebrows furrowed together as Flory continued, "Claire, said you would be out for the week…"

"Oh fuck"

"...thank you for the hospitality, I did use your pajamas…"

"Oh Flory! I forgot I left the stove on all day! We better get home!" I reached out and grabbed his arm, trying to turn him away.

"Is he still working and not coming back to the…"

"Ah-ha-ha!" I continued to laugh obnoxiously, I barely turned waving towards Casey "Thank you for everything! See you tomorrow Farrings!"

When we were a safe distance away nearly at the train station did I tell Flory that Casey Farrings is not Aren Sanna. As I explained that Aren is the President of EchoS and no one knows that we live together did Flory question why it had been kept a secret.

"I don't know." Is all I could say as we boarded the train back to L.G.s school then to the house.

Flory had made a good point. How long could this be kept a secret? More importantly should it be kept a secret? We had not even discussed if we were actually in a relationship or just friends. I sighed leaning my head against the train window for the remainder of the ride home.

"Great more things to think about."

…...

"Shit, Claire you are like an insanely attractive guy magnet. It's like Sanna marked his territory and now all the other men can smell it on you." Elsa tipped the remainder of the liquid from the glass bottle into her mouth. She then wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and waved the bottle towards the garden "Where did that puppy come from?"

Elsa and I were sitting on my back porch, watching Flory, Teddy, and L.G. play hide and seek. The flowers and bushes were tall enough this time of year and full of lush life to conceal their bodies. I had just told Elsa about Farrings as well, but neglecting the part where I had a panic attack and took off my pants in his office. She now began referring to these strange men in my life as puppies, as if I had become some little girl dedicated to saving those lost animals.

"Please give me some of what you have." Elsa reached over rubbing my covered knee cap. "I've never been lucky in love or had this many options!"

"Elsa." I drawled out, thinking how to retort. "They aren't options." Is all I could muster.

"Claire" she snorted, now placing her bottle down and swinging her legs onto the porch. "I don't think I've told you about Teddy's father?"

I shook my head no.

She sighed, "He was the first man I ever fell in love with. I had a couple boyfriends in high school and one afterwards, but when I went into the military and met Ted's father, it was pretty much love at first sight. He was great, fantastic, I thought our conversations were deep and thriving. I was so in love I did not think twice about meeting his family and friends before getting married, being pregnant, and about to become a proud military mother, but then we were in the Middle East. He got fucked up, Claire."

"PTSD?" I asked.

"No" Elsa's voice and facial expression changed to one of somberness. "He was always fucked up. In the military he enjoyed it Claire. Its. The reason he joined."

"Enjoyed?"

"Killing people, torturing them. He always asked for the special missions involving this. When he was discharged for going over the line one time, his hobby turned to me."

I did not have to ask. Part of me could not believe it. Strong, smart, could never walk over her Elsa, had been beaten. The other part knew that with all of those qualities, it only took one event to change someone completely. Elsa must have been deeply in love, blind to him. As I heard Teddy and L.G. laughing in the garden, I also knew that at some point, Elsa's ex-husband must have attempted to hurt Teddy and that would have been the last straw. This silent conversation passed between us as we made eye contact then averted our eyes to the garden.

"Well you know the rest, Teddy and I moved here in secret. One night I packed up and left. I begged for asylum and became a new person, a new identity. It wasn't hard to convince my superiors for help. They knew Ted's father was fucked up."

I did not press. Although Elsa may have had a different name at one point in time, she is still the Elsa I knew. I could appreciate that small fact and is more than likely why we became friends so quickly.

"So, Claire… don't fall in love too hard or to quick. These puppies are all vying for your attention. It may not hurt to give them some. Besides…" our eyes met once again "How much do you really know about Aren Sanna?"

I could not act surprised it is something that I have always wondered. Elsa could see that I had been contemplating this exact question. She continued, "I'm not saying don't take risks that is counterintuitive, but you may want to dig a little deeper than I did into my past relationship. If I would have dated Ted's father a little longer, would have asked to see how he grew up, I would have known how evil a person he is. I don't think Aren is like that, but you have to ask Claire. You have to know who he really is if you want to go further. Before commitment."

"Thank you Elsa. You're a good friend to me. Far too good for what I deserve."

Elsa parted her lips then closed them. She leaned forward her legs crossed, "I have been debating if this is the right thing to do, but if you can't ask him directly… there is a…"

"Mommy, mommy!" Teddy screamed, running up to the deck and breaking off Elsa's train of thought. "Did you see Flory?! He can make things disappear, even himself! He has magic!"

Elsa and I both looked back at Flory standing in the garden. He smiled and waved. "Wow isn't that something! Well you'll have to wait until another time to see more. It's getting late, time for bed, young man." Teddy pouted, Elsa laughed. She gathered her son up and made her goodbyes to L.G., Flory, and finally myself. "Sorry Claire, we will have to pick this conversation up another time."

"Yeah"

As Elsa and Teddy departed I could see the sleep dangling on the eyelids of both my tenants. "Alright time for bed L.G. Wash up and get your pajamas on." L.G. not one to argue with me, followed my instructions completely. Flory stayed behind taking Elsa's spot. Silence lingered between us for some time, only listening to the crickets begin their nightly song.

"Claire?"

"Flory?" I turned to meet his gaze.

"Thank you for your hospitality. I feel as though I could spend a millennium here with you, but I have to be on my way tomorrow. I just wanted to give you something because I'll be gone before sunrise."

"Oh?"

Flory stood up and dug into his pocket. He retrieved something small then moved to stand in front of me. He motioned with hands as though he wanted to put something on me "May I?"

I nodded. He reached forward our heads leveled, myself becoming enraptured in his averted eyes as he clicked an object together behind my neck. "There" he stood back.

I looked down, taking my hand to the small, thin, metal object hanging on a silver chain. "What is it?" the object only had a small hole towards the top.

"A whistle."

"A whistle? What for?"

"Hmmm" he closed his eyes then opened them "I'm not just a backpacker Claire, I guess you could say I'm…. oh whats the word? A modern astrologist, universal guide? I can feel unsettling things in the aura of this world. There is some activity around that place where we first met. I wouldn't go near it. However, things have a strange pull. You could find yourself unconsciously moving towards the negative. Should that ever happen… should you ever need help, or should you ever become lost, just use that whistle and help will come."

My fingers released the object "Thanks, Flory."

In that moment I was not exactly sure how Flory would hear this small whistle from miles away, but I found comfort in the gesture. Even if it would not work, at least someone had been thinking about my safety. Little did I know, this small gift would one day give me the third version of Claire Milcah Bricet.

….

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End Note: Oi! Last week I had my birthday and took off pretty much the whole week from writing . While I'm an endearing Cancer or if you go by the correct version (tee-hee! People get so mad with the 13 Zodiac version) I am a Gemini. See some similarities in both. What do you think Claire is? I see her as an Aquarius. If you're curious about Astrology a good book to add to your library is "The Only Astrology Book You'll Ever Need" by Joanna Martine Woolfold. I recommend buying the kindle version and using the cloud so you can pull it up anywhere you go! (no kindle needed). I find looking at the Zodiac descriptions helpful when building characters.
> 
> How do you like the introduction of Casey? He is 1 of 3 remaining major characters pertinent to the story. Ahhhh I'm fidgeting, can't wait to write the last few chapters of this story, it's so good!
> 
> One last thing… Thank you to the 2 new followers! First drafts can be really rocky and not completely fleshed out. Really glad you are sticking with me on this! A little fluff chapter and onto the conflict arising in Chapter 6!


	6. Mise En Garde

PLEASE NOTE: This chapter contains Mature Content

Chapter 6: Mise En Garde

Word Count: 5413

 

As Flory promised, he left at sunrise just an hour or so, before I woke. A small note folded underneath my phone, but had not been read as L.G. and I once again rushed out the front door. I vaguely recollect stuffing the note in my pants pocket figuring I would have more than enough time to read it on the train. Though a part of me had been struck by the absence of Flory and knew I would save reading these last parting thoughts in a more private location. 

I did have one more thing on my mind. It had been two days since I spoke with Aren. There were mixtures of feelings pooling into my mind. There were many talks within my mind convincing myself that it would be best not reach out since he is so busy at one of the most important meetings. In reality, I did not want the rejection. Apprehension and fear took root that he would not call me back or worse he would answer and be so distracted or uninterested to hear my voice. 

Then the thought struck me that this had been an odd fear. Since when did I care if someone did not reply back? I barely spoke to anyone outside of Aisley and Elsa. Rejection had not been there before, so why the apprehension now? Is it because Aren came closer to me, had drawn out parts of the real me?

I calculated what timezone Aren had currently been in. No doubt he would be in meetings and it would go straight to voicemail. Maybe this was the right thing to do. I tapped on my phone icon bringing up the very few contacts in my phone, once again tapping on the little phone icon next to Aren Sanna. 

The phone rang and just as I predicted had been hit with his voice stating he would return the call as soon as possible.Then the beep sounded to begin the voicemail. 

“Hi…” I paused. “Um, nothing bad has happened everything is going great over here. L.G. is staying with me this week as the Aberthall’s had a family emergency. They should be back by the end of this week. Sorry to bother you… I just wanted to make sure your trip is pleasant and I don’t think you left anything, but if you need me to send you something I can. You don’t have to call back I’m sure you’re busy. The train is stopping. I’ll be getting off of work at my normal time… you don’t have to call then…”

“You have reached the maximum amount of time. The voicemail recorded will be sent to the user’s inbox.”

I sighed letting my phone droop to my knee, “I didn’t forget you.” This thing I assumed had been called love between us would be the death of me. This must be how teenage girls feel with their first love. Essentially it is my first love. I wanted to lean back into my seat and ponder all day, just riding the train between stops, but I had to go to work. 

Exiting the train station, I made sure to peek around corners on the lookout for Aisley. Usually we met and walked together, but today I had not been in the particular mood for her harassment. She had probably been boiling overnight as I passively returned her text messages with a “Talk over lunch?” - No response last night. I felt my phone vibrate and speaking of the devil herself Aisley texted back with a very different mannerism “Ok”. 

Looking down at my phone I was just about to click the home button when it dropped from my hands. My head had ran into something hard. Something that came with an “Oomph”

I looked up to see Casey holding his hand on his chest. Surprise riddled me. “Mr. Farrings! I’m sorry I…” I stopped as he held up his hand. 

“If you are going to apologize for running into me no need, but you should probably apologize for calling me by a name I don’t want you to.”

“Oh.” I had been taken back by his comment. He reached down picking up my phone. There had been a slight pause and slow rise as he handed it back to me “Here.” he glanced around. “You’re alone today.”

“Yes. Flory left this morning. He is a backpacker and some miles from my house there is a trail head. He needed to get an early start.”

“What about the other one?”

“The other one?”

“Your boyfriend that he was referring to yesterday. He suggested that he worked at the company.”

“Oh.” I did not want to lie, but had been frozen by his line of questioning. 

“C’mon let’s get to work. We have a round of meetings today.” He tilted his head towards the exit. 

I started walking faster than normal as we hit the pavement. 

“Woah Claire! You don’t need to run!” he touched my arm. I slowed down. “Sorry about that question earlier. I know it is personal, but you know how the work culture is. If you become involved with a co-worker someone who could not handle a break up, they might go off the rails. Especially if they are in the same department. It’s just not good for anyone.”  
I ignored the break up part. “Don’t worry they aren’t in the same department as me.” 

“He only owns the entire company and is my bosses, bosses, boss.”

“Rarely in the building and goes on trips a lot.” 

“He goes on international trips for EchoS, to propel the company into becoming the future.”

“Flory had been confused.”

“Well he was. Aren is very different from you.”

I hoped this would allow him to stop the questioning. 

“Ah so he is a contractor. That makes sense you were in the tech departments before.”

I did not respond, figuring it would be better to allow the assumptions. 

“Well that is good. You came highly recommended so I don’t want any conflicts or a drop in performance. On a human level I don’t want you to hold yourself back. It’s good to hear you aren’t attached at work. Does your boyfriend live with you?”

“Temporarily. His apartment is being fumigated.”

“It’s been weeks. All of his clothing. All of those suits that fit him perfectly and all of those ties he wraps around my wrists to…”

I breathed in. “Is that all the questioning for today, Casey?” we reached the door to EchoS. Casey held it open for me and smiled.

“All I wanted was for you to use my first name, Claire. If I irritated you enough, I figured you would eventually spit it out.”

I walked in the door and to the elevator. We both entered and he pushed the button below the one labeled “Suite”. The elevator zoomed up not stopping for any other passengers. Casey broke the silence. “There is one thing you should know about me Claire.”

“What is that?”

“I always get what I want.”

The elevator doors opened and he walked out onto the trading floor. There had been a loud round of clapping and Casey shouted “Alright boys, open up the market for the day!”

I stepped out of the elevator, miffed by his last line. Though he did not look like Aren, the demeanor, the confidence, and the power to bend one’s will had been there. One thing for sure... I needed to get out of this department sooner rather than later or else Casey Farrings would become one of my misadventures. 

That thought had been put immediately into action over the course of the rest of the week. Casey had kept me close. Mostly in his office, with the door open. A part of me hated to admit it, but we worked well together. I had been able to foresee his questions and he, mine. We worked at a fluid pace. The first few days whenever someone asked to come into his office, I tried to excuse myself, but he only brushed it off stating that I needed to learn the inner workings. Both of us were new to the department, but Casey had proven to be a professional. If I did not know any better I would have guessed he had been at the company for over ten years or far more than Mr. Wakkaido. 

The rest of the departments started to take notice. More specifically the women did. While there were not many women in the trading department, there were plenty on the levels below. On Friday, less than thirty minutes before the end of work, I went down to the women’s locker room because the bathrooms on my level had been trashed. The Aberthalls had called me earlier stating they were back and able to pick up L.G from school. Good news, I did not have to rush, so I took my time down the hallway and stairs to the ladies locker room. After finishing my business, the crowd for the end of the day toilet came in. As I washed my hands a few women I barely recognized flaunted over to me singing my name and lacing me with pleasantries. Finally they showed their colors and started to ask about Casey. Then began a debate about the hottest male at the company. Of course, The President of EchoS had been mentioned quite a few times. At the end of a heated debate it had been determined to be an unwavering tie.

The Casey girls determined his edgy looks were a huge turn on. It was then I found out my hunch of Casey being in a band to be correct. One of the girls stated he has the most beautiful voice and when he performs all of the girls come flocking. The concerns over whether or not his showboating was part of an act for lack of something else, but one girl did not care, she even asked me to put in a good word for her and wrote down her number for me to give to Casey.

On the other side the girls for the President argued that Casey was a player and while his looks were more in the beautiful/angelic category, Aren had this reserved, modelesque, and completely fuckable aura. They pointed out that his body had to be more built and muscular than Casey. 

As they argued, one mentioned Aren had this coldness about him. He never dated anyone and seemed to reject the advances of all women for the past few years. 

“Do you think he plays for the other team?”

“I wouldn’t doubt it. I mean he does have a male assistant.”

“Isn’t that kind of romantic?”

“Shut up Gracie. He probably just keeps a male assistant so he doesn’t fuck a woman one. I heard that he had been married before.”

My hands froze on the locker room door. I was about to exit, but this new information made me hesitate to leave. 

“Married? Really?”

“Yeah, he had some interview on some American television show about young successors. I remember he was next to a woman about his age. They were holding hands. I don’t think that was his sister.”

“What did she look like?”

“She was super gorgeous. I don’t say that lightly. A model I think.”

“Oh my god! I’m going to try and fuck him. If only Claire worked with him, she is so good with breaking the ice with the guys.”

“Ha-ha, yeah right you couldn’t fuck Aren Sanna. You are way to ugly for him…”

I bolted out of the door. This new information clung to my heart, making it hurt.

“Aren has a wife… wait had? Or is it has? She said had. Right? He hasn’t called me. He hasn’t returned my voicemail.”

I ran towards the elevator. It had been the close of business on Friday and I had went to the bathroom before leaving, but now I had new information that corrupted my happiness of Aren’s return. I pressed the button and placed my hands on the panel. 

“Aren are you with her right now?”

I slammed my fist down onto the metal. “Ow!!” I jerked back. At the same time the elevator halted a small jar and screech, the container stopped. “Oh no. Oh no. I didn’t mean to. What did I hit?” I pressed a couple red buttons, nothing helping the situation. Then the lights went out. 

My breathing became rapid. I could feel the build up of air starting to rush in and out. My blood started to pound. “Claire, stay calm.” I reminded myself. “No reason to panic. There has to be an intercom button.” 

I breathed in trying to calm myself and moving towards the memory of where the panel had been. I felt buttons and began to push them, recalling the red ones at the bottom. Just then a crackling voice sounded through the intercom. Before they spoke I called out “Hi, I’m sorry. I’m in the South elevator and it just stopped. The lights are out too. I’ve tried hitting the other buttons, but it won’t move.” The voice coming through reassured me to stay put and someone would be there in less than 20 minutes.

Twenty minutes? Alone in the darkness. Alone with my thoughts. I could not do anything and had to only accept the reality. I needed to go somewhere in my mind. Somewhere calm, somewhere like my hospital room after the plane crash. I put my hands against the metal of the elevator and slowly slid down to a cross legged sitting position. I focused on filling up my lungs with air. Inhale, exhale. Even though there had been no need I still closed my eyes. I went to that place. The place where I was born. White walls, a white bed, white sofa, white and silver machines. As I focused I could hear the beep of the monitor, keeping track of my low heart rate. Relaxed, staring outside the window into the blue expanse outlined by the tall trees. Soft murmurs outside my room, but so indistinct it could pass for birds chirping in the distance. 

This is my safe spot. Those days spent not knowing, not wondering, just completely shut off…

“Such a shame, Claire.” I twitched, the voice deeply muddled in a grotesque, vagrant pitch. 

“Go away.” I tried to return my mind back to the room. This voice, I knew it well. It is the one from the dreams on the beach.

“I’ve tried for so long to have you remember. You fight me, Claire. You fight yourself. Aren’t you angry from all the things you lost?”

“No.”

“Oh? You aren’t angry? I’ve been watching you, Claire. Always with you. Watching you starting to unwind. To keep it together. You keep pushing back. You don’t want to remember your past?”

“Be quiet. You aren’t real.” My fingers started to twitch. 

“Not real? Open your eyes Claire.”

I fought back, “No”.

“No…” the voice had a tinge of disappointment. Then the pitch started to morph now developing into a gender. A woman’s voice. “Fine then. I’ll open them for you!” 

I jerked back. My hands resting on my knees had been touched. There had been an insurmountable pressure pushing down into them. The nerves started to react racing up my body as if this presence tried to invade. Take over my body. A stabbing sensation started to sink in. My eyes flew open. Nothing in front of me, though it would have been to dark to see. 

“Get the fuck away from me!” I screamed. My arms flailed wide. “Get the hell away from me, get out of my life!”

Laughing. Hysterical laughing. “Oh Claire. This life isn’t yours. Your just a wandering personality who found itself inside my body.”

“Your body?” my breathing picked up. “I know this isn’t real. Stop! Get out!” I screamed again, the tears were flowing out of my eyes.

“It’s real Claire. That man you’re with is a liar. He is keeping the truth from you. You know it too. You’ve seen the little ways he ignores the questions. The way he distracts you.”

“Stop! Get the fuck out of here. You fucking nightmare!” I gave one final scream and pushed back against the pressure. “Get out! This is my life!” 

Before the object weighing me down could push back, she whispered “I’ll get my body back. I have unfinished business.” Then the lights came back on. The elevator moved slightly. Only a few feet upwards and the next thing I heard is banging from the outside. The light from the hallway flooded in as two pairs of gloves pried it open. 

My body felt numb. Paralyzed. I could only look up to the top of the elevator to see my reflection staring back down. Vision not fuzzy, only a stream of water rolling down each cheek. I could see it then, whether I had been hallucinating or not, there confirmation. Next to where I sit on my legs it seemed a transparent piece of material, floated out of my vision, out of the elevators. It seemed to dance like a leaf in the wind. 

“Claire?” hesitation clouded his voice. “You two get back. She is having a panic attack.” 

I heaved in and out, bending over my knees. Forehead close to the floor. “Claire. It’s ok. You’re ok now.” His body weight transferred onto me. Gentle, not like the pressure I perceived earlier. “Can you move?”

“Casey.” I choked out through sobs, not sure what else to say, or more precisely the only thing I could cling to at this moment. If CoCo the neighborhood cat had been there I more than likely would have called out that name. 

My hair brushed back. “I’m here. It’s ok. You’re ok. Look the lights are back on and we can go to my office. Almost everyone has left. You can rest there for a bit, before going home. Do you want to do that?”

This elevator is cold. The surrounding metal held in the ice breeze from the air conditioner that whirred to life. I nodded at his suggestion. 

“Ok. Slowly.” Casey wrapped himself around my back gripping onto my arms. I barely had to lift myself he did it for me. “Are you ok to walk?” I nodded again.

Casey guided us out of that metal trap, into the hallway. I wiped at the salty tears on my cheeks with the edge of the sweater. My other arm wrapped around Casey’s waist as he helped me along and pushed open the doors. We climbed the stairs, not far to go, but slowly making our way up. When we came into the hallway the comment on being the last ones there rang true. It had been a ghost town. This surprised me “How long was I in there? Everyone is gone.”

“Maybe twenty minutes. I noticed you were gone for a while and had one of the secs go down to the ladies locker room. She overhead some of the maintenance team commenting that you got stuck in the elevator and came to get me. Everyone usually heads out of here by that time on Friday. You know trading guys need to work 14 hours the rest of the week and then head out to the bars early. Need that wind down time. Though it’s probably more high voltage for them today.” Casey laughed nonchalantly. We made it to his office and he pushed the door open allowing me to go inside first.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to take up your time. I can lock the door behind me if you want to go.”

“It’s no trouble, Claire. Really.” He motioned towards the sofa and I took a seat, falling down into the plush leather. This sofa was a bit older, from Casey’s predecessor, and had the wear to show it. I laid down. There a nice earthy scent like tobacco wafted into my nose. Not smoke, but hints of vanilla almost as if I had been transported to the town of Havana on a warm summer evening. 

“Hey” Casey’s fingers brushed against my cheek. I opened my eyes to see him kneeling in front of the sofa. 

I moved my head back to avoid his touch. “I-I’m sorry. I didn’t lie.”

“What are you talking about? Didn’t lie about what?”

“Panic attacks. Before I told you it wouldn’t happen again. I never really had them before. I don’t know why they are coming on.”

“Sorry I’ll have to lie about not knowing.” 

“I told you they wouldn’t happen again. That I could control it.”

Casey laughed “You sound like a blubbering idiot who just drank way too much and claims he isn’t drunk. Claire, I don’t care even if you did lie. I understand why you are having those attacks. I would to if something awful happened to me” As he talked his hands traveled down the sofa and hovered over my thighs. He pressed down making contact with the thin cloth that separated my skin from his. “How did you get these?” His eyes averted to my leg then back to hold the contemplation of his question.

I never spoke about this, but Casey had this directness about him. If I did not say anything he would continue to pester. 

“I don’t talk about it much…. Two years ago I was in a plane crash, the sole survivor. I was told they found me under a huge piece of metal that nearly decapitated my legs. Needless to say I had good surgeons and they restored them. I am really grateful so much so that I don’t care how ugly the scars are. I actually like them. They keep me in reality. They remind me about the two years i’ve been alive.”

“Two years old? I didn’t realize you were a toddler.” Casey grinned. 

I laughed and moved my hand closer to the edge of the sofa, “Hmmm, well, that was another side effect of the crash. The doctors diagnosed me with retro-grade amnesia. I can’t remember anything before I woke up in the hospital. It’s nice actually. I had a fresh start. New perspective on life. I’m only looking towards the future and what it holds.”

“And what do you want the future to hold for you Claire?”

I pondered the question. At the same time Casey moved his hand away from my thigh, now binding his into mine that edged on the sofa. The other one moved to the side of my jaw. He started to lean in. I realized now what he was about to do, but before he could make contact…

“Farrings. Your department is a ghost town, but I see you’ve managed to keep one employee here.”

That voice…

I jerked away, sitting upwards my hands propping me on the leather seats and turning towards the door. There in the doorway leaned Aren Sanna. His eyebrow arched up his focus dead set on Casey. His attire did not state President of the company. Instead he opted for a plain t-shirt that clung to him, followed by jeans that only allowed his masculinity to ooze. His caramel hair swirled with the natural honeyed highlights matching the warmth glowing in his eyes. As I looked at him though this warmth that I remembered had been transplanted by a coldness as he stared at Casey. 

I almost jumped off the couch, cry out his name, wanted to run into his arms and hold him. Feel how warm and safe he is. Then I remembered what I heard in the bathroom. 

“His wife.” I retreated back into myself. 

Casey stood up, “President Sanna. Welcome back from your trip. I’m sure you expected a warm welcome from my office, but I’m sorry to say maybe there is a misunderstanding? I let all of my employees go as we just clocked in our highest earning for the day.” he pushed up the sleeves on his thin jacket. “A morale booster, no?”

“Yet one remains. Miss Bricet you decided to stay?” 

Our eyes met. “He is angry.” His eyes were oozing, peering into the scene before him. “I had a panic attack in the elevator. Farrings thought it would be best if I had a few moments to recover.” I did not avert myself from Aren, but I could feel Casey’s attention turn towards me for a moment.

“Are you ready to go home Miss Bricet? I’ll escort you downstairs.”

“There is no need for you to take time President Sanna. I can escort her to the station.” I looked at Casey as he spoke. His sudden stiffness seemed to dissipate. The collected Casey now rose to meet Aren.

“No need Farrings. Miss Bricet, come along.” Aren motioned his hand out of the doorway. 

I swung my legs off the sofa and stood up, moving towards Aren. I had been a few steps between him and the door keeping my eyes averted when Casey spoke again.

“President Sanna, I am more than happy to…” Casey stopped. 

Aren grabbed me, pulling me into him. My hands reacted naturally resting against his chest as he titled my jaw upwards and leaned down placing his lips onto mine. His passionate kiss melted me into him. His tongue parted my lips starting the dance of tasting me in a hungry manner. His familiar taste, his scent reached my soul. Even though it had only been a week, I missed him so much. I missed the way he kissed me. The way he ran his fingers through my hair and touched my skin. The way he aroused me and the way he made me come undone so many times by his fingers, his mouth, and every ounce of him pouring into me. 

Aren broke away, nearly throwing me off balance, but he brought his arm around, pulling me in close. My hand remained on his chest the other sliding down to his waist, forgetting that we were not the only ones in the room. I could not look at Casey. I averted my lustful stare to the outside of his office “Let’s go home Claire. See you on Monday, Farrings.” his voice growled on the departing acknowledgement of Casey.

With that closing statement, Aren ushered me out of the office. His fingers digging into my upper arm. We moved past the empty desks in the department making it to the west elevator where he pressed the call button. 

I patted my pants pocket only finding my cell phone “Wait, I need to go back to my desk and get my bag, I just have my phone.” The elevator dinged. 

“It’s fine. I have the house keys.” He moved from my upper down to the wrist, pulling me into the elevator. I stumbled behind him, whipping around to be placed to his side, but slightly behind enough to look up. His fingers slid down to intertwine with my own. He hesitated to push the Ground floor button instead opting for “Suite”. 

“Why are we going upstairs?”

He looked down. Shocks ran up my spine. His eyes still oozing the piercing stare he filled Casey with. “I thought I could make it home.” He brought me into him. His hands cupping both sides of my head pulling my mouth onto his. He is aggressive, more than usual. The week, the days, the hours of not seeing each other all rolled into one moment. 

The elevator dinged. I went to pull away, but he swooped in, gently tapping my legs out from underneath, now laying on his forearms. He moved quickly down the hallway as if I weighed nothing more than a cat, cradled against him. No one had been in the office this late on a Friday and I made a note to be even more thankful his assistant Andrew had not stayed. The doors of his office swung away as he pushed his back through. The deterixty of his kisses and movement to the sofa had been a wonderment, as in, surprising he did not trip. 

He bent down as he placed me on the sofa, now once again cupping my head and aggressively entering my mouth with his tongue. He broke away now moving down my neck and to my collarbone all the while tearing off my sweater and opening my blouse. His fingers moved quickly unhooking the front clasp of my brassiere. Almost immediately after Aren moved in he insisted purchasing a vast array of undergarments, the most notable feature being the easy access front clasp. 

His tongue went to my nipples sucking and nibbling. The rest of him started to press into me, pushing all of my body into the sofa. His movement quick he had managed to slip my pants off. His tongue moved down over my ribs, dipping around my belly and down into the edges of my hips. His fingers, greedy, pulled down the panties covering me. Without hesitation his mouth took in every inch of me. I did not contain my voice and he moved, tasting, licking, twisting his arms around my body. I started to squirm as his tongue picked up speed. Just then he pulled away and started to remove his shirt as he hovered above me. 

I looked up at him and he smiled down, unbuckling his belt. “I missed that face you give me. Begging me to finish you.” My lips quivered and my legs wanted to close. “No” he teased. His hands grabbed hold of my thighs bringing my entrance right to his hips. He entered me, pushing in, then pulling nearly all the way out. He breathed in, letting out a pleasurable sigh as I cried out. 

“How many times are you going to come for me before we go home tonight?”

My mind shut down giving into him, giving into his body. The conversation in the locker room forgotten, the voice in the elevator a distant memory. All I could do now is sink further into Aren and allow him to sink further into me. 

I willingly gave into him six times that night. 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

“He is going to be a problem.” I tapped the cigarette end into the ashtray. 

The other end stayed silent. I thought the call had been dropped, but then heard the tell tale sign of the inhalation of a cigarette. I had only picked up the habit as a socialization method, rarely did I smoke - she however, more so than not.

“There is no problem. I am only interested in monitoring her activity. If she exhibits any symptoms of recovery, she will have to be dealt with.” her accent came through. When she spoke with others, she used a variety, but her real voice followed with heavy vowel pronunciations as she did now. 

“Dealt with? I thought we were only tailing her because of the old man.”

Another drag of the cigarette, a small laugh. “That…” she used a word I have not heard before, but assumed it meant something along the lines of bastard “...his time has run out and now the reaper is knocking at his door. I do not care about that story. I am only interested if she can remember.”

“And if she can?”

She started to cackle on the other end. Hysterics following by the sound as if someone was being beaten with a baseball bat. If you’ve ever heard that sound against a human skull you would never forget it. “I knew I should have sent a woman. One look at that girl and everyone falls into an idiotic stupor. Do not forget, while you are watching her, I have eyes on you as well. Remember that well.”

The phone clicked signaling our conversation had finished. I leaned back on the chair, looking out on the patio of the apartment. A nice view, one where I could see the smaller replica of the Fjord buildings in the distance. I took one more drag of my cigarette, flicking it off to follow the sunset. 

“You don’t even realize it. The closer he gets to you, the more you will remember.” I stood up, twisting to rest my foot on the ledge. 

“I have to keep him away from you, Claire. It’s the only option.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> END NOTE: Thank you for reading Chapter 6 hope you enjoyed the story this week! Reading back through I realized I use the words “Fingers” & “Hands” too much. What else am I going to call them? Skin sausages?!?!? Appendage Pancakes?!?! Hmmm must have food on the brain. I’m sure it is pretty typical on here, but 6 chapters in and over 40k words, we are zeroing in on 1k views! I think I’ve lost some people with the Explicit Adult Content - w/e’s it will probably be taken out or scaled down in the remastered version. The best thing you can do when writing is not stopping, worry about the small details for the second, third, hundredth draft :).


	7. Floodlight

Chapter 7: Floodlight

 

This particular area had been perfect. The stream big enough to splash or fish in, yet calm enough to not be swept away. Hanging over my head is a small mountain, maybe a hill, but to my imagination could pass for a remarkable adventure that only an experienced outdoorsman could climb. I would have to wait for that adventure tomorrow. My knees had been cut up as my brother and I made our way through the forest, stumbling across many sticks followed by a few falls tripping over stones. It had been worth it though. For we found our place for this summer.

“Aren, I’m hungry.” my little brother whined. 

“Ok, Sami, let’s go back.” I held out my hand as he intertwined his fingers in between mine. We set back off towards the house. 

“Can we come back tomorrow?”

“Sure.” I smiled down at him as he grinned back at me. 

Sami usually did not whine. Mom said it is unusual for a six year old to not have any “gripes” about life. I think she meant having troubles to worry about. Mom did have a trouble in her life. Mom did not want to come to YaYa’s this summer, but I’m not sure why. We come every year and visit with YaYa and her sister. I think Mom is mad at Dad for some reason. They have been fighting. They don’t think that we hear them, but we do, especially Sami. I think that is why Sami whines and complains. He usually says he is hungry then Mom will make him something to eat and Dad will leave the room.

Our walk did not take long back to YaYa’s house. 

“Boys! Where have you been? Oh Aren, look at Sami’s clothes he is all dirty and is going to need a bath before dinner!” Mom bent down patting off the dirt from Sami’s pants. I think this is what Thea meant last night when she told Mom to stop “chastising” me. I looked up that word in the dictionary, though I was sure it should be spelled with a “z”. 

“Sami, lets go upstairs. Aren help YaYa set the table.” Mom moved quickly pushing Sami through the porch doors. 

To not make Mom mad, I followed them inside, but instead of going upstairs, I went to the kitchen just as Mom had asked. This old house is huge and always amazed me because even though my house is twice the size this one always made me feel warm and fuzzy. You could throw many parties here with hundreds of people. There is even a ballroom attached and is opened for special occasions. Sami and I sneak in there sometimes and twirled around, pretending we are professional dancers. I did make the comment that I needed a girl to really dance with. Sami agreed. 

“Aren, my love.” YaYa greeted me as I entered the kitchen. Thea had also been there at the table putting the finishing touches on the dessert for tonight. 

YaYa turned away from the stove, moving over to the cabinet that held the fancy dinnerware. She unloaded multiple plates, glasses, and silverware placing them on the kitchen island. I started to count. 

“YaYa, you have ten plates, but there are only six of us.” 

She came up behind me, placing one more plate down. “Eleven, my love.” 

“Eleven? Who are the other five for?”

“We have guests tonight, love. A good friend of mine just had her son and his family move in with her. They live just a few houses down. You remember Mrs. Idna?” 

I do remember her. Mrs. Idna is very warm and friendly. She is just like YaYa. Her husband, is also very nice. He told Sami and I were the cave is and that is how we found the stream. 

YaYa picked up the plates moving towards the dining room. “Aren, can you please bring the silverware?”

“Yes.” I gently picked up the silverware. I remembered that my other Thea said this silverware had been handed down from pirates in the family. She said I had to be very gentle to not scuff it or else the Great Captain would come back from underneath the sea to haunt me. My other Thea the one who told me this story would not be here this summer. I liked her the best, second to YaYa.

I made sure to place the silverware down very carefully. 

“Love, when you are done placing the silverware can you go outside and turn on the bug lamps? We are going to have dessert outside when it gets cooler.”

“Yes YaYa.” 

I finished with the forks, now making my way out to the back patio. Turning on the bug lamps is easy. Each pole had its own switch. I went to the first one behind one of the taller bushes and switched it to the on position just as the sun began to color the sky in its pinks and reds. Just then I heard laughing coming from the backyard.   
I moved out from behind the bush halfway, then stopped. I saw a lady. My eyes were playing tricks. She looked like a fairy. I thought I saw wings coming from the back of the light blue dress that flowed around her knees. The bottom sprang up, flowing in the air as she twirled on the tips of her toes. She laughed as her blonde hair swung around. She is petite, a lot smaller than Mom. When she stopped turning I could see the side of her face. She is like the ladies I see in movies. She is so pretty. I started to move away from the bush being pulled in by the gravity of the atmosphere that surrounded her.

She continued to laugh and started to move towards me. Her eyes landed on mine. My breath went out of me. I could not breathe, caught in her stare. My heart pounded. 

“Oh hello there.” a calming voice that seemed to be edged with song moved in line with her lips. 

I did not say anything.

She smiled now placing her hands behind her back. She jumped the few paces to the patio on her tiptoes. It looked like she had been avoiding lava as she jumped toe to toe on the round stones. She landed a few meters before me and leaned in, “I’m Karmen. It’s nice to meet you. Your grandma told me a lot about you and your brother Sami.” She tilted her head to the side “Is Sami as handsome as you?”

I could feel my cheeks instantly become hot. She giggled. I could not say anything. I was not shy around adults like Sami is, but she is making my heart pound. 

“Mama!” a small voice shouted through the garden. I could not see anyone. 

“Baby, I’m over here!” Karmen called.

A few seconds later a girl came running and leaped into Karmen’s outstretched arms. Her blonde hair matched Karmen’s along with the blue dress. They looked alike. Two fairies in YaYa’s garden. The girl looked to be about Sami’s age - four years younger than me. As if she could tell I had been wondering about her, the girl looked at me. The only thing that did not match with Karmen were the girl’s green eyes, though the shape seemed the same. 

“This is my daughter. She is Sami’s age.” Karmen smiled and put down her daughter. “Go on. Manners, please” she gave a small push on the shoulders of the little girl, edging her forward. The little girl stepped closer holding out her hand. 

I found my voice, “Hi, I’m Aren.” I held out my hand. She interlocked her fingers in between mine letting our palms rest against each in the air. It was not how Father showed me how to do a handshake.

“Hi, my name is Claire.” she squeezed my fingers.

My pounding heart now skipped a beat. 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

 

After the incident in the elevator, my dreams had come to a halt. Whether or not this had been a good thing is yet to be determined. I went back to the pitch black nights, closing my eyes in the evening and jumping through a time warp to the morning. No visions and no complicated emotions, only the sight of Aren sleeping next to me. Not having dreams had that side effect. I woke at an earlier time for work and did not scramble for morning coffee or sighing at the wrinkles in my pants.

I laid in our bed during the mornings for what seemed like hours, searching Aren’s face, afraid that I would soon forget. When he woke there were no flutter of his eyelashes only the increased breathing and the slow upturn of his lips. He knew I had been watching him and in order for things to be fair he would make sure pleasure would run through us before the start of our day. In the end, my mornings of not rushing for work were few and far between. Today I decided to take my chances and shifted out of the bed, grabbing coffee, and stepping out onto the deck. I would allow my feet to dangle on the edge taking in the dew of the grass. 

There had been a small meow followed by the tinkle of a bell. “Good morning CoCo.” he rubbed his body against my ankle that dangled off the edge. He is probably the only cat in the world that had a stick straight tail and not the perfect question mark. He meowed again, brushing his whiskers against my ankle. “I don’t have anything for you. You’ll have to go fish in the stream.” I bent over brushing the top his head. He purred now falling over exposing his stomach to the sun. He laid there purring. 

I sat back up taking some small sips of my coffee staring out beyond the gates and into the forest. CoCo realized my waning attention, standing back up and moving to the outer edges of the garden. He darted behind bushes apparently distracted by the chirping birds. I closed my eyes leaning against the wooden post that held the weight of the overhead canopy. 

The small shuffling sound of the sliding glass opened to my ears. Very faint footsteps crossed the boards of the deck. A hand touched my shoulder beckoning me to move my body forward. I complied, now setting down the coffee mug and after a moment leaning the back of my head into Aren’s chest. His arms wrapped around as his lips met at the roots of my hair. I moved my hands to rest on the forearms that held me so closely. We sat there for a few minutes in silence, enjoying the morning air.

“Don’t go to work today” his voice cooed into my ears as he kissed the top of my right ear. 

“I have to go. We are working on closing out the Collum from the market at the end of the week.” He knew to what I was referring. 

Casey had been working on completely devastating the Collum in the market by the end of week. Him and the director above him (one step below Aren) had been in tough negotiations this past week with one of EchoS competitors. The purpose and the conversations had been all legal of course and would be a cinch, but we had to make sure nothing would go wrong in the final meeting. 

“Hmmm” he nuzzled into my hair. “Harry has it covered, you won’t be needed for the rest of week… or do I need to get special permission from your direct manager?” 

His tone did not change, but it almost felt like a small thorn had pricked into my back. He had been referring to my direct manager Casey Farrings and more specifically towards the event that happened after my panic attack in the elevator. Although Aren did not say anything to me about Casey or attempt to separate us during working hours, I could sense some tension or perhaps apprehension between us. I had been good about deflecting.

I turned my head to look up at him as he looked down at me. I smiled “I guess I just need my boss’s, boss’s, boss’s permission.”

“Good.” Aren leaned down starting to plant his kisses on my lips. His hands wandered underneath my shirt and upwards. 

I pulled away “Why am I not going in. Are we doing something today?”

“First we are going to the shower. Then after… it is a surprise.”

The sound of his cell phone ringing in the living room alerted him to another task he needed to complete before we started the day. He usually did not complain at his multiple phone calls or busy schedule, but today he let out an audible groan suggesting he did not care for the world outside of ours. 

“Ten minutes, meet me in the shower.” he nipped at my lips and I scooted forward so that he could retrieve the call within time. 

“I’ll call in sick while you do that.”

He went through the patio door and called out “No need, I’ll tell Andrew.”

I forcefully exhaled to blow the bangs that dangled in the corner of my eyes. My thoughts ran to Casey and how he would react to a no show today and more at the fact that Aren’s assistant would be the one delivering the news. “Not that it matters.” I reprimanded myself. Maybe this thought is true. Ever since Aren kissed me in front of Casey, asserting his dominance, there had been no change in Casey’s attitude towards me. He had treated me the same. We worked together in his office with the door opened, ate lunch together, and we continued with casual conversations, though we neglected to come close to anything to do with Aren. I then began to think it had been possible Aren had misread Casey’s intention, besides an eccentric like him had many more options than to fool with some silly girl who his employer had an infatuation with. 

I bit into my lip recognizing the pain. “Ow” I said out loud. That bite had been for the last thought. An infatuation… I continued to think of myself like that. This way I would not get hurt. It had not been lost on me what those girls said in the bathroom. I did learn that Aren did have a wife at one point in time, but divorced to unknown reasons. My source had been Aisley. I did not ask her, instead she cornered me in the hallway then proceeded to drag me to the rooftop. She baited me with an iced coffee to stay then started her launch into the panic attack, the elevator, Casey’s office, and finally Aren’s ex-wife. How she knew all of this is beyond my realm of understanding.

The most interesting part of Aisley’s conversation had been the fact Aren divorced his now ex-wife only days before my plane crash. I never thought I would feel sadness towards his ex-wife, but Aisley also noted that after my accident, she died. There is no mystical correlation just the simple fact of hell breaking through the earth causing chaos for multiple people. Only I came out unscathed...is most aspects. 

The sound of hissing broke into my thoughts. It came from beyond the gates. “CoCo!” I called out, launching myself from the deck, running towards the gate. 

I reached it fumbling with the latch as a horrible wailing came from the other side. I hoped whatever animal had been fighting CoCo would not deliver a final blow before I could reach him. I cursed at my shaking fingers willing them to work. Finally the latch set free and I swung the gate open, running through it. There to my left underneath a tree CoCo had been low to the ground, backing away, his eyes locked on the trespasser, and a guttural growling sound emanating from his belly. 

I would have picked up a tree branch, not thinking and just launched into an attack to discourage the assailant away, but my body became heavy as if the gravity of the atmosphere had been cranked up. The new arrival, CoCo’s adversary. Sitting on top of the malformed boulders that made an impromptu border against the patted down grass walkway, is the white cat from my dreams. It turns its attention to me, those piercing blue eyes encapsulating the essence of our encounter. It seemed to be waiting, not surprised by the appearance of a human. It did not flinch at CoCo’s growling. The odd calmness is unnerving. An animal to act like this, unafraid. Those eyes, absorbing….

“Get out of here!” a small tree branch flew to the white cat, not hitting, but slapping against the boulders. The cat turned its tail forming a perfect question mark. Giving one last glance as it jumped off the boulders disappearing into the forest. 

“That cat has been terrorizing the neighborhood for the past week.” Elsa walked over to CoCo who still laid low to the ground. She picked him up and he meowed as his paws left the ground. She turned him over and over. “Looks fine to me. Claire?” 

I fixed my gaze back to the spot where the white cat disappeared. “You’ve seen a ghost?” Elsa’s hand waved in front of my vision breaking the wormhole of consideration. 

I shook my head “No… I just… I don’t know, I’ve seen that cat before, just not here.”

Elsa leaned over putting CoCo down on the ground. “Well don’t know where you would have seen it elsewhere, but it is quite an unusual looking one. Usually it’s the mixed tomcats that wander by every now and then. Speaking of which… how is yours doing?”

“How is my what doing?” 

“Your tomcat. You know the one that stays around even though you brought home that stray one day.”

“Elsa.” I groaned realizing the direction she had been going in. 

“That’s fine. You don’t have to talk about those two, but I am interested in the third one.”

“Third one?” this time she lost me.

“It was that day you taught Teddy how to blow bubblegum and Aren had been away overnight. I saw him in the early morning coming from the back patio.”

“What?! I didn’t have anyone over that night?”

“What? Oh I thought he was another one you found. Shit if I’d known I would have said something earlier. I haven’t seen him since. Sorry Claire, he looked very handsome. I have to admit even I was taken aback. That’s my type, longer hair, darker more mysterious.”

“Wait…” it crossed my mind, but it couldn’t be. 

Elsa squinted, putting her hand to her chin, “So you do know who it is?”

I sighed, “No. sorry I just thought of someone, but he isn’t mysterious. Doesn’t fit your description.”

“Hmmm” Elsa’s right eyebrow perked up. “It’s obvious you know something that you aren’t telling me Claire.”

“What does she know?” Aren came up behind us. I felt relief. Elsa’s line of questioning would be ended by his appearance.

“Nice of you to wake up Sanna. I just saved your wifey from a heinous wild animal that has been terrorizing the neighborhood.”

I cringed at the term wife, but Aren just laughed, “Thank you. But I feel sorry for that animal. It didn’t know a rabid dog lives next door.” he wrapped his arm around me, pulling me into his side. 

The ease in their teasing of each other reminded me of an old television show I would sometimes watch in the hospital. When my father visited there had been some awkward silence at first and in order to ease the mood, he would flip on the a comedy show filled with relentless baiting of its characters. This relationship between them reminded me of this. 

I missed the next few back and forths, until Elsa turned away walking back to her house “Have a fun day Mr. and Mrs. Sanna your watch dog awaits your return.”

My fingers dug into Aren’s side at the comment. He looked down a bit confounded and I took the moment before he could speak.

“Fun day? Where are we going?”

 

He smiled down, a grin wide enough to scare. “Shower first. Surprise second.” He leaned down sweeping me off my feet, now making his way towards where the open shower would be. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him. 

Then as I pulled away ready to kiss him once again, I could see just for a moment, the white cat perched in the distance. It’s head bowed and it’s mouth opened to make a silent hiss. My view cut out as Aren ushered us through the opened glass and into the shower. 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Our morning had been short lived. After we exited the shower, Aren had received another phone call. He had let it slip I would need an overnight bag after some begging as to what his surprised entailed. As I packed my clothing he came up behind me and let all of his bodyweight fall, sandwiching me between him and the bed. His head hung over my shoulder. “I’m sorry, Claire. I just had a very important phone call and have to leave in a few hours. I’ll be gone for a couple of days.”

“It’s ok.” I stroked his hair. 

“No. It’s not.” he grabbed my wrist now gently pressing into my skin with his thumb. “I promise, this is the last time. I’m not going to be away so much anymore.”

“Aren. It’s ok. You are the Presid…”

“No!” the sudden raise in his voice made me flinch underneath him. “Claire. I’m sorry, it’s…” he seemed as if he had been wrestling with what he was about to say. Unsure if he should. “...my father did that to my mother all the time. Always gone for a business trip. I’m not going to do that to you. I’m not going to miss the most important parts of life.”

This revelation had been a shock. Aren barely spoke of his family. The only thing I knew is that he had a little brother. Now I understood. There must have been blood between his father and him. He is trying to avoid the model of an absent partner.

“Come home soon.” I whispered. It had been the only encouraging words I could muster. 

Aren had a driver pick him up from the house leaving me to wonder if I should even bother going into work. I decided not to take advantage of Aren’s standing and allowance of a day off. I made my decision, dressing into my work clothing. I arrived only an hour or so before the official start of the day. 

“Claire. I thought you were staying home today.” Casey greeted as I set my bag down onto the desk.

“Feeling much better. Just needed that extra hour. Ready to work today?” I avoided looking at him, hoping to divert his attention back to work. 

“Always. Come to my office, let’s get started.” he turned walking away, but beckoning with a flick of his hand. 

The day moved by quickly as it always had since I moved to the trading department. There were crisis to solve (more so amped up and not really dire), work to move, and people to motivate. I had learned so much under Casey in such a short time. Our days together flew by and we mostly forgot to take breaks. Today, however, Casey stated he needed that final cup of coffee, before closing out the day. 

I stood by his window looking out to the street and seeing that the summer sun had continued to blaze. During these days I could be unsure of the exact time. I moved the cuff of my sweater upwards to look at the wristwatch Aren had given me before his departure this morning. 

I can feel the weight of this watch, not only from the metal that resides in it, but from the age and memories that it must carry. Aren had told me this watch originally took the form of a pocket watch and had later been adapted. I attempted to reject this gift numerous times for I knew the precious metal and tiny jewels that embellished the outer ridges meant this had cost a fortune. He just kissed me on the forehead as the driver tapped his perfectly polished shoes indicating a rush to make it to the airport. Aren noticed this, giving me one final kiss “There is no monetary value that it cost me, Claire.” With that he rushed off. 

I looked down at the face. The intricate details on the numbers started to fade. The exposed bronzed gears came through bursting into the mural of what I perceived to be an island surrounded by an ocean. The longest and thinnest arrow ticked by counting the seconds far outpacing the slow minute and hour arrow. I turned my wrist upside down. With limited finagling the watch easily slipped off. I would need to replace the latch to make the band tighter. The watch turned and twisted in between my fingers. The metal cool against my skin. I looked at the face, then the back, the face, then the back, not paying attention. 

It caught my eye in the glint of the sun. The tiny engraving, faint from the sweat and skin that rubbed against it for years. The letters stacked on top of each like a pyramid

“Your Celestial Being   
Drives Me To Utter Destruction.  
You Disarm Me, Making Me Into A Fool For You.  
You Have Captured My Heart For A Thousand Millenia.

Y.A.”

 

The writing is so small, the wrist watch only a few inches from my eyes, titled at just the right angle to read in the sun. Bizarre could only explain those words. Loving someone who drove you to utter destruction? Let alone permanently engraving it into a valuable item such as this. Suddenly this gift Aren had given me, seemed to intimate. As if I had been peering into another person’s life. The initials meant nothing. It would have made sense if this had been passed down in the Sanna family as an heirloom. At first glance the wrist watch had appeared to be more masculine than feminine mostly due to the size, more appropriate for a man’s wrist. 

“The ice machine is down. Sorry you’ll have to go with hot coffee.” Casey entered his office placing my cup onto the desk. 

I broke out of my intrigue quickly shoving the watch into my pants pocket. His eyebrow raised, curiosity peaked. 

“My watch broke. Have to go get it fixed this weekend.” I muttered, probably more nervously then necessary.

“You are twice in luck.” With his coffee still in hand he maneuvered around his desk sitting down into his chair. I continued to stand, leaning back against the window. 

“How so?” I had really hoped he was not about to say that his father had been some sort of watchmaker and that handy trait had been passed down. 

“One of my band mates is good with building anything and everything, but particularly small items. He regularly services antique items, especially watches.”

“Of course.” “Oh I don’t want to bother him.”

“It’s no trouble at all he enjoys those things. Besides you are in luck for the second time. I have a show tonight. I’ll ring him up and he can repair it. It should only take him a few minutes.”

Now I would be caught in a lie. “Stupid. You are so stupid. You never lie, Claire.” “Um, its fine.”

He pushed the chair away from him as he stood up, now moving the few feet towards me as his fingers swept across the window sill. His body less than a foot away, he stretched his arm over and leaned down closing the gap. “Now come on Claire. Deds is the best, he will have that up and running in no time, for no cost. That watch looks very expensive and needs precise care. You don’t want an amature touching something that important. There is no reason not to. Just come with me tonight, you shouldn’t have any plans…. Or do you need to get special permission?” 

Casey’s words echoed the same as Aren’s, but for some reason they hit me harder. 

“Fine. Where and what time?” I stared him down, attempting to light a ferocity in my gaze.

He smiled now backing up a bit “We’ll leave at 5, then get something to eat. I’ll take you to the venue where my band is playing.”

I puffed up the bangs from my eyes “Fine.”

Casey started to laugh and put his hand over his heart, “Ow, Claire. I’m almost starting to think you don’t want to spend time with the real me.” 

I let a small snort escape. “I just hope the real you can sing. I don’t want my ears to bleed tonight, Mr. Farrings.”

“Don’t worry Claire. I’ll capture your heart instead.”

I laughed moving away from the window. “I really hate hot coffee. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

Casey did not say anything as I left his office. Only a little more than two hours to go and we would be on our way to have my non-broken watch serviced. I would have to lie again and say that it was a miracle it had restarted. Maybe this Deds person would believe it and replace the battery. One could only hope. 

I walked to the stairs, opening the metal door and climbing up one flight. Before we left tonight there was one last thing I needed to do. It would be perfect timing with Aren away and myself still in the city during the evening. I reached the final stair pushing through yet another door and arriving to the main entrance way for the executive suites. Just around the corner would hopefully be Andrew. Aren mentioned that he would take his Assistant on longer trips, but for ones that lasted only a few days Andrew would stay here. 

My luck turned for the best. As predicted Andrew sat at his desk typing away. He looked up as he heard the shuffling of my feet. “Ms. Bricet. How can I help you?”

“Hello. I need to check Aren’s office for his apartment keys, he did not leave any at the house and I need to run over and get something that I left.” I could be completely casual around Andrew. He had known Aren had been living at my house, in fact, he had been there a few times. What I was hoping is that he never knew the fact that I had not been inside Aren’s apartment. 

Andrew furrowed his brows. I could tell he had been running through his memory if I would have ever been in the apartment. I quickly stopped his thoughts.

“We were in the city last weekend and Aren and I stopped by for a few moments. Things got a little out of control and I left my favorite…” I started tugging at my pants as if I was going to unbuckle and drop them.

Andrew stood up quickly “Ms. Bricet. I understand perfectly. President Sanna keeps an extra set at the office. If you will excuse me, I will go retrieve them.”

“Thank you.”

When he left his desk to enter Aren’s office, I allowed my face to flush for a moment. I had gone overboard trying to pull my pants down. I did not really think about what I had been doing in the moment, only hoping to divert attention away from asking for the keys. Andrew came back, the unmistaken jingling sound carrying through the hallway. He placed them into my possession.

“Should I have the driver take you to the apartment?”

“No!” my voice broke. I coughed… “Umm no, I’m fine. I know exactly where it is and I have a few errands to take care of first.”

Andrew blinked. I continued “Thank you Andrew. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I shuffled backwards towards the stairs near the elevator, waving my goodbyes. 

When I went through the doors to the stairs, I could feel the piece of paper burning a hole in the back of my pocket. A piece of mail had made its way to my house containing the address for Aren’s apartment. I had kept it aside, not really sure of what I would do with it, but now glad that I did. Although the events in the elevator caused my dreams to dissipate there had been this insurmountable feeling growing inside. 

The voice in the elevator had threatened my life. I did not want to dig around in the past, only live in the present, but she had given a warning. I needed to step out of myself for a moment, maybe a little poking around would not hurt. Besides, this is Aren’s past not mine. There can’t be anything relevant to me. The worst that could happen is to learn he is still married. I can prepare myself should this be true and move forward if necessary. 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

 

After everyone left from work Casey ushered us outside of EchoS and towards a local “dive” as he put it. I will admit for most it would have been off putting, but just as Casey had promised the food had been delectable and the first drink of the night even more so. When we finished dinner, Casey hailed a cab that would drive us to the outer edges of the city. Rarely had I stayed inside the city after dark more apt to drink at the bar near my house. I stared outside the window, Casey not saying a word and the only sound between us had been the island music the cab driver played on repeat. 

As we pulled onto a dirt road did my heart skip a beat, but Casey assured me to just “wait and see”, a few seconds ticked by and Casey’s assurance came to fruition. The car had now went upwards over a small hill. In front of us I could make out the pier that held some of the biggest maritime ships. I did not realize it, but this had been the same place I came too when I arrived here. The cab driver turned down the music and then I could hear the pumping music in the background. 

Casey paid for the fare and as we walked towards the building, I could see the numerous amount of people gathered for the event. Casey touched my arm directing me towards the side of the building. We walked down the narrow alleyway. He stepped in front, reaching out to open the door. 

“I take back my statement from earlier.” 

“Which one?” Casey waved me inside. “After you.” 

I stepped into the building, the music growing louder, not sheltered by the brick. “I don’t think you are going to make my ears bleed. It’s going to be the crowd.”

“You are right about that.”

The door closed. Casey appeared beside me as we walked down the hall. We passed a few doors decorated with people hanging out beside them, talking, waiting, smoking. 

“Not that way.” Casey touched the small of my back directing me to the left. “Deds will be backstage.” His touch lingered as we entered the backstage area. 

All these people had so many similarities, but all looked different. Long hair, mohawks, purple, pink, tattoos, piercings, black clothing, rips, tears, zippers, metal. All of it to take in at once, especially for someone who has never been (or at least doesn’t remember) going to a concert. 

Casey touched my back once more propelling us forward then stop wrapping his arm around my shoulder. “Hey Deds, this is Claire, the one with the broken watch. How much longer until we go on?” 

Casey addressed the man named Deds. Bald, bearded, tattooed, pierced, and buff by the looks of the vest that exposed his upper body. He looked up from the electric guitar in his hands and nodded. 

“Claire?” Casey squeezed my shoulder. 

“Oh right. It stopped working last night. The gears aren’t turning” I dug into my pants pocket retrieving the watch and quickly handing it to Deds, hoping Casey would not see the perfectly in sync arrows and gears that moved.

Deds reached over taking it from me, his hands giantized threatened to engulf my own. He held it not flipping it over only staring at the face then he looked up at me and then Casey. He moved his gaze between us once more, finally resting on a spot just next to me, presumably where Casey’s hand squeezed my shoulder again.

His voice just as gruff as his looks, “I’ll take a look. On in forty minutes.” 

“Would it be ready in forty minutes?”

“Sure.” is the last thing he said.

“Claire, come with me, I’ll take you to the bar.”

With nothing else to do, but hope my watch would not be compromised or stolen, I was dragged to the bar. Once we made it, Casey leaned over and quietly talked to the tender, slapping him on the shoulder in a chummy sort of way.

“Alright. I’ll be backstage. Don’t run off though. You owe me to stay for a couple songs, since I hooked you up with a watch wizard.”

“Sure.” I took Deds lead. 

Just as Casey turned to leave, the tender placed a frosty mug of bubbly beer down in front. “On the house” he said and left me to it. After a few minutes and a couple swigs the bar area started to get crowded. I turned around on the stool now taking in the scene. This place had once been a warehouse. The rectangle shape and high metal rafters gave it away even though the outside of the building had been coated in brick. The stage, brightly lit, encased the musical equipment that would be used for tonight. Judging from the bands in the back and the people gathered around this would not be a teeny bopper or country concert. 

Another beer down, the time ran quickly. Just as I had the inclination to look down at my wrist for the vacant watch, Deds appeared. He passed through the crowd with ease as someone with close to a 195 cm frame. I would have been lost in the crowd with my stature. He handed the watch back to me.

“Replaced the battery. Should run for a few years.” He turned around and departed. I thanked him not bringing up his apparent discretion, letting that be an unsaid comment between us. 

I snapped the metal band onto my wrist and picked up my beer, ready to go, but knowing I had to stay for at least one song. I could then make my way over to Aren’s apartment. All that remained in the frosty mug had been froth and bubbles. The alcohol started to make its way to my head the slight buzz increasing.   
The lights dimmed. Multicolored rays sprinkled down from the rafters of the warehouse beginning to spin. Dark, black shapes moved across the stage as the background music started to die down. It only took one strum of a string and the tap of a wooden stick to have the crowd begin their massive cries rallying for the start of the song. The symphony of electricity rocked through our bodies as the lights found their mark on Casey. 

His mouth opened bellowing out the exhilaration the crowd demanded. The melodiousness of his toned inflections soared into my ears down into my core. The nerves inside started to send off pulses raising my skin into goosebumps. Shivers ran up my spine and back down. The harmony, the compatibility of the instruments folded into him, pouring out into this horde. The song neither fast nor slow carried the pleasant beat. I could almost see the waves of the melody twisting and swirling together in their bright colors and finally reaching my pounding heart. 

I could see it then, that faint line of the melody, a darkness beaming straight ahead. Even from where I stood, the unmistakable furrow of Casey eyebrows held for a second as his pitch rose, then the richness took over once again. His focused eye line lifted to meet mine. The lyrics he sang held a familiarity. The line repeated. Just as it had started, Casey’s voice started to fade the instruments following. His eyes averted from me, a small smile uplifting one side of his cheek. 

The cheering had rained down in a thunderous blow. In a moment the band would bring wave. This time the instruments picked up speed the roughness, the beating of the strings signaled a more technically complex song. 

I stayed in my spot enjoying the next song, followed by another. Casey announced that had been the finale and the crowd screamed for an encore, chanting this god for another moment of pleasure. He looked back at his band mates who nodded their head. A silent whisper moved between them when Casey turned around. This time the song had a nearly identical musicality to the first, but the words had changed. A nebulous of sorrow powered the yearning words. I could see only the black line twisting and inking out the bright colors from the previous songs. 

“He is quite good.” 

My heart jumped at the words appearing into my ear. I smelled smoke surrounding my atmosphere before I could see the owner. I opened my side towards this person now frozen at the image before me. She is the same as she was two years ago, the same as she had been laced between the static of the television screen upon my first encounter with Casey. This time though she had a long, jagged scar running from the top of her bleached hair line to far beyond what I could see of her neck. 

She bit the tip of of her cigarette titling her eyesight down at me. She seemed like a giant and I a poor peasant girl who should bow down at her feet. 

“These songs have a way of stirring up memories, don’t they my dear?” her accent thick and heavy, not artificial as it had been on the day in the hospital room when she mocked my former self. 

I stepped backwards. The toes in my shoe arching high, ready to move quickly. She inhaled her smoke now puffing it into the air. A man, dressed in all black, presumably one of the concert goers pushed into this woman, moving past her without any recognition that someone had been blocking his path. She did not move, did not say anything as someone would if they had been bumped into. Only continued to smoke her cigarette. 

I realized it then. Though her tone had been deeper and laced with a guttural accent then the one in the elevator or the one in the hospital room, I understood this is just another twisted vision. 

“You aren’t real.” my teeth unconsciously gritted as those murky words slipped through. 

Her eyebrow raised. “Not real? Interesting…..” the cigarette slipped between her fingers landing on the ground. “I’ll play along then…. Who do you think I am?”

“Part of my fucking imagination.”

She paused then just as the chords of the instruments heightened, beginning the final chorus. Her head went back a laugh broke from her throat. “Well, well then….if I’m part of your imagination… what do you call me?” She looked down her eyes glaring with a menacing consideration. 

“Your name?” I said it in a question. The woman opened her mouth about to speak, but I cut her off. “Your name is Milcah Bricet.”

No shock registered in her facial expressions. This time she crossed her arms over her stomach, bending over with bellowed laughs. Her lips curled back exposing her teeth as she could not contain herself. “Ah.” her laughing calmed as her body positioned itself in a straightened manner. Her arms now moved so that her wrist propped below the one that held her chin. She turned as if she were going to walk away. “I can see you aren’t going to come back. Enjoy the rest of your night.” the crowd seemed to part as she sashayed her way through, the dark red skirt clinging to her form. When she reached out to touch the shoulder of one individual who refused to move, the acknowledgement as he turned his head and gave her a dirty look, made me realize a mistake had been made. This woman is real. Not a ghost. My rationalization starting to seep out the cracks of the window. 

“Wait!” I cried out trying to follow her, but the bodies that surrounded my being seemed to be closing in. “Who are you?!”

There is no response. The music winding down, but still too loud. The multitude of people crammed together giving the air a sour taste. My breathing started to pick up pace. I needed to get out of here in this tight, noisy place. With more strength than I previously had I started to push my way breaking the barricade of flesh. 

“One, two, three, four….” counting my breaths to keep myself calm. I made it to one of the doors of the warehouse. The metal bar pushing in as I flew out into the night. Far cooler than the warmth created by so much energy tucked inside the warehouse. 

The flush of a thousand suns ran over my body. I pulled off my jacket throwing it to the pavement. I needed to cool down and quickly. The foghorn of a distant ship pulled into my senses and I started to walk towards the pier. The water sloshed on both sides of one of the closest concrete piers that jutted into the ocean. The foghorn sounded again and I could see in the distance the floodlights of both ships and lights from land. Where I stood, though, had been dark. 

I went to the edge of pier where no barrier stood between myself and the ocean. Every step seemed to weigh my body down. I closed my eyes feeling the breeze coming off the ocean. The waves rocked giving me comfort that the sea had not been calm or soundless like my dreams. I wanted to move...closer….closer than I have ever been before. To feel the water upon my skin. I attempted to pull away from this thought, but it had been to late. A push to my back catapulted me forward into the coldness of the ocean. 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

 

“Welcome, Welcome!” He drew back. The embrace leaving a pulsating warmness as he moved his hands onto my shoulders. “He is in a good mood today. I let him win at poker the last few nights. He thinks he is on a roll.” A breath in and an exhale, “Are you ready?”

I brushed away his fingers that dug into my shoulders “This isn’t going to go as I hoped.” a statement rather than a question.

The facade washed away as his expression drooped. “We can only hope for the best. Come.”

The house I entered oozed in all of its modern glory. Built on an exclusive strip of land, the view had been remarkable. From the entrance the massive glass windows depicted waves of the sea lapping onto the sand. The clean white and pale wood lines of the furniture and decorations made this home feel as though you were on a permanent vacation. I followed my comrade into the modern container, past the kitchen and living area. The doors of the study had been wide open. As we turned the corner and older gentleman with a drink in his hand caught my attention. I stopped in my place as we took a moment to look each other over. A silent conversation lurched between us as he processed my appearance. He turned his attention back towards the window at which he stood.

The reminiscing voice, one that I’ve heard from childhood echoed in this white box “A long time ago your grandfather loaned money to me in order to start my company. Look at the success it has brought in my old age.” his hand waved once into the air as he continued to stare outside the window. “I will never forget that kindness. Your grandmother as well. Both of them treated my family with graciousness that I will never forget to keep their pedestal unblemished. But there will always be that one imperfection I cannot erase. An illness… that seeped through the tiny crack in their marble pedestal and now I wonder did that illness flow even further down the line?”

The man at the window averted his full attention to me. “Aren Sanna. You are lucky that your outside appearance is of your grandfathers. It is the only reason I have not thrown you out my house upon the sight of you, but I have warning you should carefully consider what comes out of your mouth.”

There is no need to consider the words he would want to hear. “My father suffered greatly upon his deathbed, he begged for forgiveness.”

“And did you feel sorry for him?”

“I am his son. There is an uncontrollable part inside that will always have sympathy, but I will never forget what his actions caused. I do not ask that you forgive or feel empathy.”

The glass in his hand started to swirl the liquid contents as he considered my response. “Why have you come here? And more importantly why had my brother been involved in organizing this little reunion?”

I did not say anything. Although calm in almost any intense situation, my heart began to pound. 

“Julian?” he asked his brother. 

Julian glanced between his brother and myself. “Aren. Ask him.” his voice soft, unsure. 

I could see the perplexity slash into the other man’s brows. Julian averted from his brother’s stare. In that moment realization dawned on him. The many memories of our history twisted together. I had to ask. I had to say it.

“Mr. Bricet. I am asking for permission to marry Claire.”

The glass in Perrin Bricet’s hand shattered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> END NOTE: Thanks for reading Chapter 7! I had a hard time getting started on this chapter as I was unsure on how or even when I should reveal Aren and Claire’s connection. I’ve also been writing a few snippets for future chapters as I start to reach the crescendo of the story. Song of the chapter “Hold On, We’re Going Home” covered by Volumes. Make sure you follow this story for updates. I bid you Adieu!


	8. Descent

Ten Years Ago:

The caspian door of her house had been the same as always, even before I had been born. The streaks of copper aged into the dark blues showing how the weather had turned every season. The rain, the heat, the occasions of snow all warped together. The years also plastered the silver handle. I pushed the lever down opening into the grand entrance way. The staircase greeted me in its twists to the second level. Not much had changed. Most would think this is a good thing, but the eeriness caused goosebumps to form on the back of my neck and arms. The quietness unsettling as well. 

I had been able to catch the last departing flight for the morning, making the trek eight hours to my grandmothers house. I had not been here since I was fourteen. A decade of memories came rushing into my mind, both good and some bad. Some involving my grandparents, some not. I placed my duffel bag on the ground near the entrance. I had been in a hurry to pack only retrieving a few outfits. I would have to go into the city tomorrow and buy new clothing. 

The scent of cigars tweaked my nose along with the mingling of fresh air. My grandmother and grandfather always enjoyed their patio, occasionally smoking on warm summer nights like this. This gave me the first clue that she would be there. Even though I did not call ahead of time, there had been no need to feel nervous about the acceptance and pride my grandmother felt towards me. It had been someone else she carried bad blood with. 

I walked through the entrance, past the first living area and dining room, into the kitchen. The patio doors were swung wide open and I could clearly see my grandmother sitting back in one of the rocking chairs. An older woman (the same age as my grandmother) also in a chair had been facing the door. Her face lit up and her drink went to the table beside her. 

“Aren, is that you?! Oh Teri, you didn’t tell your grandson had been coming.” she sprang from the chair. I smiled and glanced at my grandmother who slowly turned around. She said nothing at first. Maybe I had been wrong at her welcoming. 

The woman who had been talking to my grandma, Mrs. Idna who always went by her first name, reached out her arms and pulled me in close for a hug, her hands wandering up and down my back. she backed away and seemed a little disoriented “You have grown to be so handsome. Teri who do you think he looks like? I think he looks more like Yoanis, don’t you?” 

This time my grandmother allowed a small laugh to rattle her drooping skin. “He is the spitting image of my husband when he was this young. My love, come here. I haven’t seen you in years.”

I went to my grandmother, leaning over the arm of her chair, allowing her to swallow me into her warm and motherly arms. She was of average height and desperately thin, but her hugs made it seem as though a massive force had wrapped itself around my body. As I pulled back she touched my cheeks and jawline, gently, as her eyes squinted. 

“Yoanis would be proud to see you now, Aren. You have always been the love of our life. You bring back so many good memories with you..” I could see the tears welling in her eyes.

“YaYa.” my voice stayed strong for her. “I’m sorry it took me so long to visit you.”

She laughed with an unconcerned air as if i just saw her last week. “My love, never be sorry. You are living your life. I went many months and many years of not seeing my parents and sisters, as your Papu and I went to live on the islands. We came back after I missed my sisters so terribly. I am just so happy to see you here now.”

“Me too.” I could only smile at the radiating happiness from my grandmother. “Is Mari here?”

YaYa groaned leaning back into her chair. “She was worried about the tsunami in Indonesia, so she packed up her things and left to assist in the recovery.” 

My grandmother, the youngest of the Perry sisters dealt with the intricacies of her two sisters. Mari the eldest never married and never had children. She had a wild spirit enshrouded in attempted wisdom and extremely interested in the aura of the world. Grandmother’s second eldest sister, Chari, had married quite a few times, ending up with children from different marriages. She was the opposite of Mari in the sense that she always had a joke, baited, or called out the “shit of the world” as she put it, but she was loving and dedicated to her family. My grandmother, YaYa, had a combination of their personalities. She had been the warmest. The easiest to get along with and this showed. She had taken the brunt and the toll of her sisters’ lives. Always there when they needed her.

“Her influences have been spreading.” Mrs. Bricet interjected handing me a glass of iced lemonade. 

“Thank you.” I nodded. 

Mrs. Idna went over to the table to where she previously sat refilling her own lemonade from the pitcher in the other hand. 

“Idna there is no need to worry, she is far brighter than my sister.”

“Oh” Mrs. Bricet waved her hand “Teri, you don’t have to make excuses for your sister, besides she has always been that way since she was little. Remember when she came to your patio in the middle of the night and nearly gave Mari a heart attack. She thought there had been a burial plot of children in the forest and they were coming back for revenge.” Both my grandmother and Mrs. Bricet laughed at this. 

A memory flitted to my mind “Who almost gave Thea a heart attack?”

Both Mrs. Bricet and YaYa looked at me. Mrs. Bricet giggled. “Oh I completely forgot when you came in, Aren. My granddaughter, Claire, is here. Do you remember her? She comes every summer. You two were so close when you were little. She will be so excited to see you. Would you be able to go get her? I don’t think she has eaten all day.” she put her hand to her mouth “Oh I hate to have you do that though. She always goes into those woods. Who knows how far she went today.”

I finished the lemonade with one last swig. Claire…. I do remember her. The last time we saw each other had been when I was fourteen. It had also been the last time I saw YaYa. The memories started to rush into my mind. They were as sweet as this lemonade. The warm summer days Claire, my brother, and I spent together. 

I placed the glass on a nearby table. “No worries. I know exactly where she is.” 

There is no lie to this statement. As young kids we would play very frequently along the stream and more specifically at the nearby cave and “fairy hideout” as Claire deemed it years ago. My newly minted teenage self did not have any proclivities towards fairies, but my younger brother still doe-eyed followed Claire’s whims. 

“Tell Claire I made her favorite tonight!” Mrs. Bricet hollered at my back as I walked off the patio towards the gate. I waved my hand and nodded now undoing the latch to the gate and making my way down the trail. 

I breathed in as my memories aligned with the path I took. I could almost make out the figures of myself running ahead as a young child, followed by a girl in a white dress. She always wore sundresses when we played. Unlike my mother, Claire’s mother would never get mad or chastise her for the accumulated dirt and grim. My heart suddenly banged on its cage, my pace quickened at the thought. If I remembered correctly Claire was now eighteen and there is no doubt she would not be just as beautiful as her mother had been the very first time I laid eyes on them. Two ethereal creatures in the bloomed garden. 

My adult strides brought me to the river at a far quicker tempo. Quiet. Nothing splashing in the water, no signs of disturbance. I stepped out from the grass towards the muddy banks when I noticed a set of footprints. Far smaller than mine, slightly bigger than a child. They led towards the enclosure that would bring me to one of the main clearings before climbing to the abandoned bear cave. I moved back towards the grass, knowing exactly which direction to move in. Only a few more bounds until the trees started to rise. 

Meters ahead under the cover of the forest I could swear there had been a sound of a low beating of drums. More than likely it had only been the blood rushing towards my ears and I soon shook off the thought, but the percussion had an eeriness to it. Then I saw small, flickering lights, between the bases of the trees giving way to the gathering circle. A flash of a blue cloth moved between the trunks. It started its swirl in the circle, dipping low and bending. 

I had been on the edge, slowly moving closer careful to not make any noise. I moved a few branches out of my way for a better look. 

My lungs started to fill. My heart started to pound hoping to escape out of its prison. Before me, moving in the circle is Claire. She is dancing with a fluid grace as if she had practiced this ritual many times before. The blue cloth swathed around her tanned skin from the long summer days. Her long blonde hair contained a multitude of braids littered with different flowers. Just as her mother descended upon me that day, she did the same. She made a final twirl on her toes, her arms extending into the air giving her height into the sky. Her cheek rested into the upper arm, her eyes closed. She breathed in, releasing her energy.

Her eyes opened, her head turned slightly, now looking in my direction, seeing me as I dumbfoundedly held my hand against my chest. A warm smile came to her lips. This whimsical being lighted a thousand stars this night as her gaze danced to mine. She moved towards me as I moved to her. Drawn in by this unspeakable force. 

Only a reach away, Claire held out her hands. This time I understood..she greeted me the same as when we were children. I brought the tips of my fingers to rest against hers. Our palms now touching. Her gaze never left mine. She smiled.

“I’ve been waiting for you to come back Aren.” her smile so gentle, started to pull me in to her. My heart starting pounding. I almost felt as though I could pass out undone by this creature.

“What am I supposed to say to her? Does she know what really happened those years ago?” 

“Aren?” she squeezed my hands. Keeping us together she lowered our embrace of limbs. A step closer. “Do you not remember me? I am sorry for…” She released my hand. The sensation of her touch leaving me pierced my heart. It hurt just as bad as it did on that day my father threw me into the car. My last memory was of looking at Claire from the back window, tears streaming down her cheeks. 

As she started to take a step back I quickly stepped forward wrapping her into an embrace. Squeezing her tightly. My head rested on her shoulder. My weight probably to much for her small frame to bear. 

“Claire, I’ve missed you.”

She balled the cloth of my shirt in her grip. The heat of her touch searing into my shoulders. “I’ve missed you too, Aren.”

As we stood there embracing each other, I realized this reunion became tinged with more emotions then just two friends greeting each other. I started to pull away, but Claire resisted.

“Aren.” an out of place inflection on her previously smooth voice. “I’ve been waiting so long for you. Even if you never will again, I want you to make me yours tonight.” she grasped harder on my shirt and leaned in. “I’m afraid I’ll never have a chance to request this again. I’m afraid you’re just a dream I conjured up. I’m afraid that you will leave and I will never see you. I just want one night.”

Her request froze my thoughts. The world slowed down at this unexpected request. If by chance we were to meet again, this is not the first thing I had imagined.

“Expected and wanted are different things.” my inner monologue rang true. I wanted her to say this. Even before I knew what adults did, I knew this girl would be mine. But she is not a girl anymore she is a woman. We can now make these choices and become better than our parents are. 

“Claire, I love you.” I squeezed so tightly. So afraid she would materialize from my embrace. “Never say that you are afraid. I will always come back to you, no matter what happens. Nothing, not even one of us losing our memory will keep us apart.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Present  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I’m getting warmer.

It’s so quiet here. 

The liquid surrounding my lifeless body caressed me further into the depths below. I never knew death would taste like salt.

“Claire”

I opened my eyes under the water at the sound of my name. It had been a gentle voice. My eyes were too blurry, but could make out a humanoid figure floating near. A thought came to my mind that this figure was the source of warmth, the source of a small fire underneath the ocean. I needed to reach this person. Fingers curled attempting to grasp the liquid, my torso followed by legs momentarily suspended on a horizontal plane. I kicked and paddled making long, but slow strokes. 

“Only a bit further”

This figure had moved closer, brighter, my eyes starting to burn from the salt. Both hands reached out from this figure cradling my neck pulling me in. My forehead met another surface.

“Claire.”

“I’m here.” those spoken words within my mind felt natural as if I was comforting a child, a friend, perhaps a sister. 

The figure pulled away a few inches. For the first time underwater I could see clearly. The sting of the salt had gone away as we both stayed suspended in this enveloping cocoon. Her smile is comforting as it moved upwards melting into the perfect reflection of myself. 

“I’m sorry, Claire.” A somberness crossed her eyebrows as they scrunched. Her smile receding, but still painted onto her light skin.

“Why?” the question genuine.

“Because… Both of us may not make it back this time.”

Suddenly my body jolted forward at the behest of her embrace. Her lips met mine, parting them as she slowly started to disappear. Her warmth sank deep into my depths, giving it a lightness. My body started to move upwards as a force pulled on the back of my jacket neck. I broke against the surface choking on the salted water that rushed into my nose and down through my throat. Gasping against the sting of the nights air, the warmth I had experienced below started to dissolve now I became frightently cold. 

“Claire! Stop Struggling! You are going to drown both of us.” Casey shouted. “Float on your back!”

Casey began towing us back towards shore, one kick and one swipe of his arm at a time. The process could have been longer than 5 minutes, but to me it only seemed like a few seconds before Casey dragged me onto the shore. He dropped down onto his knees when we were clear of the water licking the stoney beach. We both remained coughing and choking on the unwanted water that entered our mouths. 

“Fuck Claire. What the fuck were you doing?!” He regained his composure. Now placing his hands on top of mine. 

“I-I don’t know.” my voice unsure and shaky. 

“You’re so cold. You’re hands.” Casey started to rub my fingers trying to bring warmth into them. 

“I-I’m fine.” I started to prop myself up. 

“Fuck if you are. You have to get out of those clothes. C’mon.” Casey reached down pulling me upwards. He then turned and squatted down. “Get on.” 

There had been no point in arguing as my body temperature started to fall. If I did not climb onto his back his hands under my thighs as he lifted off I would certainly die from hypothermia. Casey started the short walk back over the stoney beach and over the embankment towards the concert warehouse. He stayed in silence, not speaking a word. 

A thought gripped me hard around the throat. My breath caught as a memory came into my mind. “That is the second time I’ve almost drowned. I was eleven and was on a school trip to the ocean. I went too far out…” I stopped talking, surprised by this strange fact. Casey’s grip dug into my thighs. 

“I thought you did not have any memories past a couple years ago?” 

“Why am I remembering this?” 

Casey left the question lingering between us as he made it to the side door of the warehouse. He carried me all the way back to dressing rooms ignoring the wandering looks of why we both had been soaked to the bone. After opening the dressing room door he squatted down and I got off his back. 

“I’ll see if I can find some decent clothes for you. Just behind that door...” he pointed to one at the end of the dressing room. “...Is a shower. Try to warm yourself up and just leave your clothes on the floor. I’ll be right back. Lock the door when I leave.” Casey left the room, closing the door behind him. 

I did as he said and turned the lock on the door knob. My wet clothing would be best taken off in the bathroom instead of ruining the wooden floors in the main area. I made my way into the bathroom noting that it is far cleaner and well maintained from what I expected. Stripping down to nothing and entering the shower provided warm relief. 

The stinging water rained down. I placed my arms in front of my chest and closed my eyes as I lifted to meet the stream. My mouth started to quiver and the tears started. 

“I can’t keep going like this!” I cried out. “That woman, she….” I choked on my words, thinking of the woman at Casey’s concert who drove me to a panic attack. Or maybe it is the reflection of the past me, of Milcah Bricet, who wants to make me remember. Either way I could sense it now. Something twisted. Something bad happened. Something worse than just being in a plane crash. That woman whether it was the one with the accent or the one that is a perfect reflection of me, held a dark secret. I made a fist and slammed it against the wall.

“You can’t run away from your past.” The voice of my father, the voice of Elsa, and my own voice all echoed together. 

My legs gave out. The tears, the sensation of barely breathing, the build up of my two year old life, started to crack in the window I had been looking out of. Now an ugly jagged scar just like the ones of my legs, had entered the glass that held my memories. 

“Claire!” Casey cried out and closed the small gap between the shower and the bathroom door. Without hesitation he entered and fell down beside my shaking, naked body. He embraced me, but I could only cry. “You’ve had enough for today.” his own voice unsure. Casey dipped further down his arms underneath my knees and the other resting against my lower back. Stronger than Casey looked, the leverage he had gained brought us upwards.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and leaned into his shoulders, attempting to cover my face from the embarrassment. “I’m sorry.” I choked out. 

He said nothing, instead focusing on carrying me out in his arms, without slipping from the wetness we had both created. Outside of the bathroom we entered the main area. Casey placed me down on the sofa and I could feel a warm towel had been placed on top. I covered my eyes with the inner side of my elbow. Embarrassment racking through me. I felt something fall on top of my body, probably another towel. 

“Well last time we were like this you at least had clothing on.” Casey tried to lighten the mood. “Ah keep your eyes closed, I have to change out of this wet shirt and pants.”

I did as he said, hearing the shuffle as his shoes and belt came off. A close of a drawer signaled he had found new clothing. I turned on my side taking shelter in the towel that barely covered my nakedness. I slid my arm down so that my hand covered my eyes. For some reason the conversation in the women’s locker room came to mind. The one where they had been debating about Casey’s appearance. My fingers spread apart, just a peek. There he stood, his shirt off, muscles defined. His shoulder length black hair and overall rock god mystique would send any of these ladies pining for more. I closed my eyes. 

“He isn’t Aren.” the thought came to me just as my heart panged against my ribcage at his name. “But, Aren didn’t choose you that time. He choose someone else. He left you.” 

“What?” I cried out, sitting up. My head started to ache. Worse than a migraine.

“Claire?” Casey came to the side of the sofa, kneeling down. “What is it? What’s wrong?” 

“My head. Its hurts really bad.” a fist came to the middle of my forehead. “It hurts Casey. It hurts.” tears started to swell in the corner of my eyes. 

“Shit. ok.” Casey stood up making a mad dash around the room. I could hear him searching through drawers and the sound of water gushing out. He came back to my side. “Here open up. Deds gets really back migraines.” I felt his fingers push something small between my lips. “Open up.” He commanded again. I parted my lips as glass came to my mouth. I allowed the water to enter my mouth in order to carry away the pills down my throat. A plink on the table signaled the glass of water had been set down. A dip in the sofa and Casey’s arm reaching around my shoulder to pull me in close gave some comfort. He took my hand in his and pressed against my forehead. 

“Keep pressing on your forehead. It is supposed to help.” 

I let go of the tension in my body focusing on only getting rid of this migraine. I leaned into his chest. The searing pain continued as one more wave attacked. I opened my eyes and could only see light filter through. A memory hit like a bowling ball being dropped on a foot.

The inside of my house? Yes and No. I touched the kitchen island that looked upon the living room. The furniture is different. There are more things. Wait. I know them. Two people older and greyer. That woman is my grandmother and he must be my grandfather. There hands entwined together. I wanted to cry out to my grandmother, but just then I saw the third person, sitting in the chair. His eyes fixated on me. His nose long, his lips starting to turn upwards. 

“Claire.” my grandfather called out as I took one step further. 

No. Why was I moving forward? Why was I moving towards this person who could devour my soul. Our eyes never leaving each other. 

“Oh my, Joseph, she is the spitting image of Karmen. I can see why my son is so enthralled with her.”

My eyes left the man to see the tension of my grandfather radiate through the grasp of my grandmother. My grandmother’s eyes tightened at the comment.

“Yes her appearance is just like her mother, but her mind is like her father’s.” My grandmother spoke. 

Something is wrong. The tension between everyone is holding me firmly. The air is going to squeeze me dry. Just then The man sitting adjacent from my grandparents stood up, wiping the top of his pant suit. He extended his finger, beckoning me over. “Come here Claire.” a command from a stranger.

“Yael, this isn’t..” my grandfather broke in.

“Grandpa.” I cut him off. This is a memory. I have no control over what is happening. The reality started to frighten me, but there had been enough intrigue. As I stepped forward, one foot closer than before I could hear the sound of a bell. 

Jingle. Jingle. Jingle. The sound started to lull me into a daze. I now finally stood close enough to this man named Yael. Close enough that he reached out brushing my hair back. I saw it. A watch. The exposed bronzed gears, brightened against the blue of the ocean. The green of a palm tree, and the white of sand. Embellished by jewels on the outer ridge. His fingers grazed my jaw line as his hand cupped my ear. 

I did not look into his eyes at first, but then it happened. The mechanical whirring sound. The one I had in my dreams. The one where I walked the white sand with the motionless ocean. Jingle. Jingle. I looked down and past the man’s jacketed elbow. The white cat, perched waiting. The bell around its neck. 

The man’s grasp pulled me forward suddenly. His breath against my ear. “I loved her and for that he will never have you.” his whisper turned my heart upside down. 

“No!” I pulled back only to find the man in front of me grasping harder, not letting me go. He tried to bring me into him, to sink further and further away. His features started to ooze and bubble. They started to darken as he pulled me down. With one final jerk and one sentence my pure white soul started to darken. He said “I did it. I made that plane explode.”

“NO!” I could only scream as he dragged me down with him into non-existence. The feeling of doom. The feeling of everything being out of my control. Sorrow and sadness. Giving up. 

My vision started to come back to the present. To the one where Casey held me as I tramped down the migraine. But this…this it couldn’t be real? Could it? My hand fell away to my lap. 

“Claire, are you feeling better now?” Casey’s voice seemed far away even though he had only been inches from my ear.

“Yael…” the name slipped out.

I knew it then. Whether it was the tightening of Casey’s grip upon the utterance of that name or the watch that I had in my pant’s pocket. I scrambled out of Casey warmth, nearly falling over as I ran to my pants that were on the ground. 

“Claire what are you doing!?” he shouted.

I snatched up my pants. First in the back pocket, then the left and right. Wait. It dawned on me. The watch had been on my wrist after Deds gave it back. The ocean. Then Casey. When we were on the beach… he touched. I turned around.

“Where is it Casey?” 

Casey slowly stood up. “Where is what?”

“The watch. Deds gave it back to me. I had it. I felt it when I was in the ocean.”

“You must be mistaken. If you didn’t have it on you or in your pocket. It’s probably still in the ocean.”

“Where is it Casey?!” I roared. My own anger lurching forward brought a pang to my head. “Fuck” I swore.

“Woah, Claire. Calm down. I’ve never…”

“You’ve never what?” I approached him reaching out to grab his pockets.”

He moved to the side allowing me to fall hands first onto the couch.

“I’ve got to say. I’m liking this Claire a bit better.”

“Where is it!” I lurched upwards. Instead of being able to take down Casey, someone nearly a foot taller. He grabbed my wrists pinning them to the side. His face hovered over mine. Inches away.   
“Listen. I don’t have your watch. I understand it’s expensive, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be replaced.”

“Replaced?” I scoffed. “This isn’t about the value of it, but what was written on it. Y.S. the initials on the watch. When I said that name…. You froze. You know who this Yael is.

“But do you Claire. Do you really know who he is? Do you want to go down that road?” Casey’s eyes. Or the emotion behind his eyes, started to calm down my rage. A sadness behind them brought me down from this revelation.

“Yes. And I know where to find the answer. You’re going to take me there.”

“I’m not taking you anywhere.” 

“Yes you are”

“And why would I do what you want?”

I thought for a moment, searching his expression. Shock that’s what I needed for someone like him.

“Because I’m going to give you something that you’ve wanted.”

Just then I leaned forward on my the tips of my toes and planted on kiss on Casey Farrings lips. His mouth opened inviting my tongue in. At least now I could bring the real gossip to work that beyond his harden, delish exterior, Casey is a gentle, but god damn good kisser. Only one other person would ever top him. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“That’s it.” Casey pulled into an open spot just in front of a huge apartment complex. I gawked. It looked like a grand hotel built for only the rich and famous. A man in a fully decked out tailed suit came from the hotel and towards the car. Casey brought the window down. 

“Aren Sanna’s new assistant, Miss Bricet, has the keys to his apartment. He needed her to retrieve some documents. Is there a place I can swing around to wait for her?” I held up the keys and the door man glanced at them. He nodded and gave Casey directions to pull around to the alleyway. 

 

“Alright, Claire. Do you want me to come in with you or wait?” 

I did not even think. “Come in with me. I’m not sure of what I’m going to find.”  
“Ok.” Casey followed the door man’s directions and before we knew it the alleyway led to an underground garage where we parked in a space labeled 32. The number for Aren’s apartment. 

“Well do you want to continue our kiss here or up there?” 

“Shut up.” I unlocked the car door stepping out. 

After Casey and I kissed at the band’s concert warehouse, I had pulled away not letting it go any further. I think Casey knew as well that was as far as he would get. There had been no touching except for his hand on my upper arms. His cheeks had blushed and so had mine. Defeat crossed his face and he then agreed… well more like insisted on driving me to Aren’s apartment. The drive had been silent. He would not give any more detail with his involvement with this Yael person. He swore he only heard the name before. 

We both made our way quickly to the elevators. The key ring, Aren’s real assistant had given me also had a card attached. I swiped it pressing the number 32 button and away we went. When the elevator reached its stopping point, a ding let out, and there Casey and I entered Aren Sanna’s apartment. 

“Man just as I expected for someone who owns his own corporation.”

“Owns?” I walked into the apartment. A huge modern living room complete with soft and expensive looking couches, a fireplace, and open kitchen to the left. 

“What. You didn’t know he owns EchoS? I mean the S at the end stands for Sanna?” Casey walked behind me heading towards the kitchen. “I wonder what he has to drink. Do you want something Claire?”

“No.” I had more things to focus on. Something I needed to find.

“But what exactly?”

“Alright. I’ll be here. Take your time.” Casey waved me away.

The living room proved to not be useful. There were expensive scenic paintings hanging around the room. No pictures of people. I did feel a slight bit of relief when entering his apartment. There had been a coldness, all showroom ready, no sign of anyone living in it. No feminine touches to be seen initially. The tinge of jealousy I had experienced when those women mentioned Aren’s ex wife seemed to melt away, but there is still more to see. 

I made my way down the hall opening the doors to the other rooms. If he would have any type of pictures or documents they would probably be in his room or office. One door open. Bathroom. Second door. Bedroom, but with nothing in it except a bed and dresser. Bathroom. Bedroom, same as the first. That had been the end of the hallway. I made my way back noticing that Casey had found a beer. He offered something to me, but I rejected. I went to the other side of the apartment. The first door I opened had been an office. I peeked in seeing it filled with books on each wall. A sofa, a chair, a table, and a desk. No pictures either. I closed the door. I thought it would be best to come back to the office after checking his room. 

When I opened the door to his room, I stepped inside and inhaled. It smelled like his cologne. It smelled like him. I walked straight to the bed. Nightstands on each side. Nothing out of the ordinary. As I touched the lamp on the nightstand and looked at the mirror above the bed, it caught my eye. The thing I had been searching for. A frame on the dresser across from the bed. 

I walked over, my eyes narrowing in. 

I gasped picking the picture up. It is not Aren’s ex-wife. It is not the man named Yael. It is a picture of two people I know very well.

Upon Aren Sanna’s dresser there stood a picture of Aren, about ten years younger. His smile bright. His caramel hair wildly out of control. He looked down at the girl his arm hung around. His other hand lifted her chin up to meet his eyes. They were about to kiss. He was about to kiss Claire Bricet. 

I dropped the picture. The sound of glass shattering around my feet. 

“He knew me.” the shock started to wrack through my body. “He knows what happened.” my fingers went to my mouth. 

“Claire!” I heard Casey shout. The sound of someone pounding on the floor coming closer to the door.

I lurched upwards. Tripping and fumbling making it to the door and locking it just in time for Casey to shout and jiggle. He cried out asking if I was ok. If something had happened. 

I fell backwards onto my bottom. My mind started to go numb as my hands started to burn. They could have been cut. Blood probably oozed out, but I could not focus. I could not know if those glass shards encasing the picture had cut deep. I heard her then. My other half spoke loud and clear, drowning out Casey from the other side of the door. 

“You needed to know Claire. He has lied to you for some time. You and Aren had been together at some point, but you were never meant to reunite. You were supposed to die that day. That plane was meant to be your final descent.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading Chapter 8 and to the new followers! 
> 
> [1] I took the advice of a commentator and scrapped the previous chapter 8. It really sucked XD. It may still suck, but on a slightly less level of suckage! While all of my writing is just 1st drafts I do want it to be presentable. [2] updated a couple little snippets of the first 7 chapters - mainly the wording of some explicit scenes. [3] this chapter took a long time to write because I now have to go back and start tying some themes together. Chapters 9 -11 are going to explain Claire & Aren’s connection by diving into the past. Needless to say, it’s going to be explosive. [4] I’m off my posting schedule since I had some obligations to take care of, so by January I should be back on the bi-weekly party posting train. 
> 
> [2] Visit my profile to check out my new story “We Carry On Because of Her Love”. Sasha Avella moved back to HillRose to support the family as her mother’s impending death draws near. As Sasha struggles to remain as the binding glue of her family, a young runaway appears and signals a new romantic venture for Sasha and a distraction for the Avella’s. Sasha soon learns the strength of mother’s love and how a grieving family can carry on in the wake of tragedy. 
> 
> [3] On a music note make sure to check out Steve Aoki’s new album “Neon Future III”.


	9. Portraits of the Past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: MATURE CONTENT   
> WARNING: RAPE SCENE  
> NOTE: This chapter is a dream sequence and reveals Claire’s past

\----------  
Present  
\----------

“Here I am. Is this the beginning or the end?”

This time is different from the other times I have dreamed this nightmare. The bleached sand had been replaced by a dark shade of earth that reminded me of dried blood. Lifting sight to rest on the horizon, the singular color of sky and ocean started to become dusk. 

“I’m here to find it”. My muscles seemed to react to the intentions seeping out of my mind.Unlike the times before, I know where I am. What I had to do. 

Jingle. Jingle. The once signaling bell did not stop my reactions as I began to pick my pace to a jog. The white haired cat with the small gold bell fell into pace on my right side. I did not look down. 

“Claire.” the androgynous voice that once mocked me, replaced itself with one so familiar. The one that found me in forest. The artificial sound hummed behind me instead of surrounding as I ran. “We must hurry.” the voice came from the cat. 

“I know” 

I could not stop and allow myself to be swallowed by the humming as it signaled the menacing shadow that once tormented me on the beach, the one that dragged my body down into the ground. This time it would not catch me before this dream ended. My legs pumped faster. The stars started to reign superior to the light that had began fizzling out. 

The seemed to appear out of nowhere. The gold detailed edges shone brightly, suspended in the air hanging by an invisible wire. They were giant. Staggering far above my stature, the gold framed portraits started to move framing a path I am to continue running down. I passed the first one able to catch the moving bodies of my father and mother. 

“Don’t stop to look.” the cat called out to me as he gained paces now moving in front. 

I did not. I kept running, somehow knowing there is one particular portrait I needed to reach. That moment in time, captured on the frame in Aren’s room. But, these portraits, these moving memories started to tear me apart. A scratch on my arm as I glanced at one. A childhood memory, my mother laughing wildly as my father splashed the ocean water onto her. We were at the beach for summer vacation. 

A cut now on my knee, the second portrait I ran past, showed the scene of Aren and I running past the oak tree, one I had long forgotten. The white dress I wore. His carmel hair glistening in the sunlight as he reached his hand back for me to catch up. The odd sensation crept around my mind as the fog of those memories started to lift.

“Don’t look!” my friend called as he kept pace. “You will lose yourself in this place.”

The gravity of these portraits. The urge to stop and revisit all the friends and family I had lost started to pull me away from the path. I shook my head throwing out the fascination and the need to allow myself to be swallowed in this place.

“Hurry! It’s coming!”

I kept running. Pumping my legs harder, but chanced looking over my shoulder. I stumbled, but regained composure. The black ooze that threatened me from the previous dreams was behind, moving at an even faster pace. Soon it would catch me. The humming sound fired up. I could see fire moving behind the black object. It looked like a tsunami, towering further above the portraits and swallowing them in its black void. 

“Claire!” my little friend called out. “It’s right there! Jump into it. Do not hesitate!”

I could see it, the portrait of Aren and I ten years ago, hanging in front about 50 meters ahead. I made my final stand, pumping my legs quickly as I turned my attention to the portrait. I reached out brushing it, pushing my fingers into the portrait. Just then I felt something grab my ankle. This world started to slow. The beat of my heart usually once or twice per second, went to a deep bump….pump….bump. The seconds ticking off between each one. As I fell into the memory, my body twisted in those slow seconds to face the thing that grabbed my ankle. I had expected to see the man who jumped into my memory only hours before. To see Yael pulling me away from this crucial memory.

My breath left escaped. My lungs out of air as I realized who had wrapped its hands around my ankle. It is me, dressed up in a pure white suit. My hair cut short and dyed a strawberry red varying from my blonde hair. A twisted smile curled on my own face. No on her face as she attempted to drag me away from entering the memory.

“Get away from her!” my little friend hissed jumping to scratch her face. As the cat jumped, I reached out wrapping my around the white fur, pulling him into the memory with me. I could not let him go as he is my guide and the only thing keeping me attached to the present.

“Fuck off” with a kick of my other foot I crushed into the white suited face, falling back into the memory. The window to the portrait started to close by the landscape blending into the one of the picture on Aren’s dresser. The white suited figured morphed let out a blood curdling scream as the portrait finally closed. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
10 Years Ago   
[Claire from the Past]  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Snap. Snap. 

The camera sounded as I looked up to meet Aren. His carmel hair glinting in the sunlight. His face tanned from the summer afternoons we spent together laying near the base of one of his grandmother’s oldest oak trees. The long summer days that radiated with heat were long and wonderful. Every day I had thanked the heavens for bringing the boy I loved back into my arms.

“Ok Teri! Enough! You are going to waste all the film on the same picture. Try moving around to get a different angle.” The second Perry sister chastised her elder sister.

“I’m sorry Chari, just one more.”

Aren’s arm tightened around my shoulder as he laughed. “YaYa, I hate to say it, but Thea is right.” Snap. The camera took one last picture. 

“It’s ok Aren.” my hand pressed against his chest. “My grandmother has more film. YaYa can take as many as she would like.” I could not take my eyes off of his. 

“Thank you Claire. This moment will always be a precious memory for the both of you.” YaYa lowered the camera.

“She is right, Aren and Claire.” my grandmother stood behind her, holding two glasses of champagne. 

The light reflecting on the glasses bounced onto the jewel that encircled my left ring finger. Only moments ago, Aren had kneeled down and had asked me to marry him. We were young. Myself only eighteen years, Aren just out of University, but the years we had spent apart had been long enough for the both of us to age in spirit. I could not miss another minute with this boy, now man whom I am devotionally in love.

My grandmother could only smile, handing us the glasses. “I am happy for you Claire and Aren. Please be good to her.” 

“I will Mrs. Bricet. Nothing could ever keep me from her.” He looked down to match my blissful smile.

The small, improptu party that had gathered on YaYa’s back porch all raised their glasses in celebration of our engagement. The summer night went on as we drank, ate, and danced. Most of the neighborhood, those who had watched Aren and I growing up, stopped by to congratulate us and our grandparents. One neighbor managed to catch me alone out of Aren’s arms, when she said her congratulations and said how they all knew this would happen. Then she made a comment, one that could even turn a happy event like this into a downward spiral. 

“I’m sorry Yoanis and both your parents could not be here.”

She made her final well wishes as the rest of the party began to retire for the night. Aren and I made our way to the guest house behind the Perry sisters well endowed estate. The comment had started to wander into my mind. 

“Yes” I thought. “It is a shame.”

“Claire is something wrong?” his smooth, kind voice reached out just as his arms wrapped around my body.

“I’m thinking of Papuch. I miss him.”

Aren’s embraced tightened around my middle. “I miss my grandfather too, Claire. I wish he were here, but remember he is always watching us in those moments of happiness.”

“I know. I could feel him there tonight. I could almost see his image sitting his favorite chair.” I laid my hands on his entwining our fingers. 

He started to kiss my neck, then broke away to whisper in my ear. “Hopefully he leaves for this moment.”

I laughed, “You’re so inappropriate.”

“Yeah.” he answered biting my neck gently “If I didn’t have you to tell me, no one would. I’m going to be even more indecent.”

He unlatched his hands from mine, running them up to my breasts. His fingers snuck underneath the light cloth reaching my nipple. His other hand gently touched my chin and slightly twisted my neck as his lips met mine. Our tongues danced in each other’s mouth. I could not get enough of him. I wanted him right then and now. I tried to move away, breaking the kiss, but he pulled me in. 

“Aren.” i said in between kisses. “Take my dress off.” 

He did as he was commanded breaking away and finding the zipper on the middle of my back, now releasing it down towards my tailbone. He brushed the remainder of the dress off, hungry for me. He removed his shirt as I unbuckled his pants. He pushed them down, stepping out then quickly bringing ourselves to embrace again, limbs around each other’s body. We fell back onto his bed, myself on top. 

“Fuck. You look amazing Claire Bricet.” his eyes swarming my body and face. 

“So do you Aren Sanna.” I met his gaze. He grabbed my arm attempting to roll me over so he could be on top. 

I pushed back against his arm, feeling him already grown underneath me. 

“I’m ready and I can’t wait.”

I pushed my knees forward and slightly up allowing him to enter me. I moaned, arching back as the weight of my body sunk onto him, enveloping everything that is my future husband to be. Aren managed to push himself up, a buck that sent waves through me. His free hand reached down to massage my most sensitive part as I moved up and down on him. His mouth enveloped my breasts, sucking another sensitive spot. Our motions were building that elationist feeling deep within me. I could tell he had been feeling it as well. From my angle looking downwards I could tell he is in ecstasy. The sudden rush hitting his cheeks, the partly closed eyes, and the small noise mostly drowned out by my own. It drove me to the place that I needed. I got off on him, my body tensing and clenching. The waves riding through my nervous system.

“This would only be a blink in our eyes. Everyday I will find myself more in love with this man who is going to be my husband.” I leaned down and kissed him as we rolled onto the bed, elated that this was the first night of a future we could see.

“Claire.” my name whispered. I touched Aren’s chest. “Yes?”

“Hmmm?” he stroked my upper arm gently. “I didn’t say anything.”

 

“You said my name.”

He suddenly rolled on top of me. “Well, Mrs. Sanna, I know for certain the only thing I want to hear you say is my name.” He spread my knees apart starting to begin the second round for the night. Caught up in the moment I gave in not questioning further. My focus only went to Aren, forgetting the voice that called my name. 

\--------------------  
Present  
[Claire inside the Memory Portrait]  
\--------------------

“We should keep going.” the white haired cat perched on the windowsill. His fur soaking in the moonlight. I turned away from them as their bodies began to fade. Claire and Aren, lovingly embraced, asleep in the bed on the night of their engagement.

“I remember that night.” I said to my little friend. “He was so happy, but….” I faltered. “...something had been on his mind.”

“Come Claire.” the cat said as he jumped through the opened window. 

I followed him and found myself dissolving through the window. I materialized outside as the cat began to walk. The garden outside of the Perrys’ house had faded. The scenery blurry and starting to wrap into a new memory, before me my grandmother’s house appeared. The plum door shone underneath the porch light. It had been clear while everything else remained hazy. 

“Flory.” the guise of the cat’s voice dropped in the earthen field as I ran, passing my memories. I knew then it had been him whether or not this is just a figment of my imagination. I clutched the opening of my shirt on my chest, the hesitation starting to freeze my mind. “Tell me. Is this the moment that changed me… that made me into a monster?” 

“Claire, that is not something I can answer.” Somberness passed through the almond shaped eyes. “This place is locked in the subconscious of your mind. You saw them. The portraits that hung, each a gateway to a chain of events from your past self.”

I took a step forward.

“I will grant you one thing.” I looked down at Flory as he spoke. “Before you go into that house. Before you see the events that will unfold, you will remember the need to find your other half. The one who breathed her life into you in the bottom of the ocean. She is hurt and she is in pain. You need to release her from that misery in order to open the window on your happiness.”

“I understand.”

“Now.” Flory’s animal body started to evaporate. His vibrant self faded. “You will live the rest of these memories, unseparated, but you cannot control the past. Do not get lost, Claire.”

As I started to blend into the past I could only think of how I called out to Claire after she had been with Aren. She had heard me. 

“No… what I heard back then was my future self. The self of now coming back to relive these memories.”

I clutched the material of my shirt that rested above my heart. 

“Hold on Claire. I’m coming to save you.”

\--------------------------------  
Ten Years Ago  
[Claire from the past]  
\--------------------------------

“YaYa!” I called entering the house from the side door. “Aiyda found the last few pieces of material that you needed!” bags in each hand and reams of cloth layered on top of one another rested on my forearms. 

Aren’s grandmother, affectionately called YaYa shuffled towards me. I could smell an earthy scent of tea slowly brewing on the stove. “Please place them on the dining table, love. We can organize and finish our work after we have some tea and lunch.” she reached out a frail hand in order to help me. 

“YaYa no need to worry I have this.” the top material of my stack began to slide to the right, but it corrected in time. “Or maybe not.”

Her laugh deep, slow, and full of joy tingled my skin only leaving a pleasant sensation. YaYa took away the top two reams of cloth that I had stacked, affording me a moment of dignity back. “Grandma’ma won’t be happy if all those gymnastic classes don’t show that I can’t balance properly.” I joked as YaYa and I went to the dining room table. 

“I never known your Grandma’ma to ever be unhappy with you, Claire.” She placed the reams on the table. She then stopped, running her hand to the edge of the table and leaning into it. Her other hand went to her forehead. 

“YaYa. please sit down.” the packages in my hand sloppily dropped and spread all over the table even some falling to the ground as I rushed to YaYa’s side. I gently gripped her upper arm and pulled out the chair just a few feet behind her. She sat back with a wince of pain. 

“Do you need anything? Water? Your medicine?” I kneeled down my concern growing. “Do you want food? Or perhaps I can go and get the more comfortable chair would you like that?” 

Before Aren had returned for the summer, YaYa had been diagnosed with an untreatable condition. She had been declining with short, dizzy spells, more noticeable in the past few months. She had refused to lay down in bed, stating it would be giving up and she had been determined to live every moment until the last. YaYa had divulged many things to me; stories, memories, desires, hopes, and dreams. I knew this because almost every weekend and during the summer I would return home to my grandparents house and visit. She had connected me to Aren for those eight lost years, when his father and mother suddenly departed, never to return. The only thing YaYa never told me had been why, then again I never seemed to ask. 

“Love, all I want is for this dress to compliment your beauty. I have to admit it would make me happy if my grandson felt weak in the knees when he sees you.”

I reached out placing her free hand in mine. “YaYa, thank you. Aren and I will always remember these gifts you have given us.” I could hear the pot filled with brewing tea, begin to whistle. I stood up releasing her hands from mine. “I’ll be right back, get us some tea and food. Then we can finish the wedding dress.”

The kitchen smelled wonderful as I entered. The age and character always made this one of my favorite rooms in the Perry house. Although YaYa’s last name had been changed to Sanna when she married this house had always been hers and her sisters. Passed down through the many generations the upkeep is impeccable. After pouring the tea into two cups, I went to the refrigerator to pull out something for us to eat. I noticed a note on the door that had a simple statement:

Claire I love you. I’ll be home next week and then we can start our life together. Love Aren. 

Aren had told me a week ago, before he left, that he had received a call his mother had an accident and he needed to go see her. At that time he would also tell his family that we would be married in the next two weeks. He would invite them to the wedding, but did not expect them to come. I sighed, touching the note. I knew his relationship had been strained with his family and I could only hope that they would make amends. We had discussed immediately starting a family in order for YaYa to share in our happiness and hopefully see her great grandchild before she passed to her next life. It could be far better if his parents and brother were also included in that plan. 

“Oh sweety glad you’re back...” my grandmother came through the kitchen door followed by my grandfather on her heels. I don’t believe those two ever spent more than a working day apart since they began courting. “...would you be able to go out to the river garden and collect some medicinals for Teri and your grandfather, of course after we eat lunch.”

I lifted on my tiptoes to kiss my grandfather on the cheek as my grandmother became a whirlwind to collect the tea and sandwiches on the counter. “Yes Grandma’ma. I will go right away, I’ve already had a bite in the city.”

“Perfect. Teri and I will finish the dress today. Joseph take one of these to Chari, I’m sure she is watching one of those sporting games you two can place bets on, just don’t lose too much.”

My grandfather stuck out his tongue at my grandmother as she turned her back. He then gave me a wink as I tried to contain an escaping giggle. My grandfather departed the room with a plate of sandwiches in hand to distract YaYa’s most rambunctious sister. I immediately sprang into action, grabbing one of the hanging baskets to place the medicinal plants in and running out the door. “Claire don’t forget your shoes!” my grandmother called out as I raced past the oak tree. I only waved my hand back at her, notioning that I preferred to be barefoot and more connected to the earth this way then bound to manufactured cloth. The journey to the garden by the river would be short with the energy contained within.

As predicted, a mere ten minutes later I arrived at the river darting up the path that led to the special circle I used to create my connection with mother nature. For all my life, my mother kept a special relationship with her, nature that is. Some would say she had been a modern witch, but I could only negate the term and say she was connected to energy, to life, and passed along that connection of energy to myself. The dancing I completed within the circle by the river garden is only a way to show appreciation for the gifts we receive from nature and by chance any of the many gods who give us good harvest or find interest in bringing good fortune to humans. I learned these things from my mother who departed too early and in some ways if I did not receive any benefits from the energies surrounding me at least I could feel connected with her. 

I made quick work of the plants from the garden. Gently breaking off the stem in just the right way so they could continue to grow and placing them in the basket for safe travels. The sun would not set for hours so I could take my time walking back, but before I did I went to the towards the circle by the river garden. Coming upon it knelt down at the small roofed alter that contained bowls and incense. With a small strike of fire starter I lit the incense stick and held it over my head as I blew out the rest of the fire. I placed the incense in the bowl bringing my hands together and closing my eyes. Praying for YaYa and my grandfather’s physical pain, Aren to mend his relationship with his family, and Aren’s safe return, the energies within the world seemed to answer today as they gently kissed my skin. I nodded once finished and stood up making my way back to the house. 

The oak tree came into view and the house just beyond as I ran through the gates. The door of the kitchen swung open for me without much force as I happily placed the basket onto the kitchen counter. 

“Grandma’ma, YaYa, I’m back!”

There had been no reply. I reached over to the kitchen sink and filled up a glass of water. The liquid cool down my throat. With a relieving sigh from my parched throat, I spoke out loud. “Hmmm that’s odd, it’s so quiet.” 

“Grandma’ma!” I placed the glass down moving through the kitchen and into the empty dining room where they should have been working on the dress. Nothing. 

I went through the dining room and out to the hallway that connected into the main foyer. Just across the foyer on the other side of the house I could hear whispers coming through the main living room. The double doors had been partially shut. Curious, I walked towards the doors pushing one aside. “Grandma’ma where is…” I stopped still in the door frame. The scene before me had been puzzling. 

The sofa directly in front is emptied. The one to the left side contained my grandmother and grandfather, her hands folded into his lap. My grandfather tensed, sitting straight up, his eyes lifted to meet mine, they flicked as if to warn me not to come in any further, but I ignored the warning stepping into the room a few paces. 

“Oh my, Joseph, she is the spitting image of Karmen. I can see why my son is so enthralled with her.” the deep voice came from slightly to my right, straight ahead, where one man about the same age as my father had been sitting cross legged in the leather chair. His fingers pressed together making a perfect temple. 

My eyes left the man to see the tension of my grandfather radiate through the grasp of my grandmother. My grandmother’s eyes tightened at the comment. I knew who he is, but the confusion of his appearance here all of sudden instead of with Aren and his supposedly injured wife left my thoughts to freeze. 

“Yes her appearance is just like her mother, but her mind is like her father’s.” My grandmother spoke. 

I interjected before anyone could say something else not quite understanding the tension radiating in the room. “Mr. Sanna is your wife feeling better? Aren had been quite concerned when he left yesterday.”

Just then the man sitting adjacent from my grandparents stood up, wiping the top of his pant suit.“I’m sure she is. Now Claire come here, I haven’t seen you in ages.” He extended his finger, beckoning me over. A command from a stranger, but I obeyed walking past my grandparents to stand close. After all this man would be my father in law within a few weeks, he would surely greet me with a warm embrace. 

“Yael, this isn’t...” my grandfather broke in.

“Grandpa.” I cut him off by turning my attention to him. “It’s alright” I then turned back to Yael Sanna, Aren’s father. “I am sorry we didn’t tell you sooner, but I hope that you will accept me as your daughter-in-law. I vow that Aren’s happiness is my only priority.”

No shock registered through Yael so this appeared to be good news that Aren had told him, though I did not quite expect a visit. Yael placed his hands on my shoulders, looking into my eyes. “Claire, I’ve come to deliver the news that Aren has already prepared for the marriage I have designated him. He will not be returning here.” 

“I-I don’t understand.” the quivering started in my mouth. “We are ready to marry in a couple of weeks.”

“Surely, you didn’t expect to marry Aren?”

I started to feel weak. I wanted to sit down, but this man in front of me gripped into my shoulders. 

“Aren is set to marry Claire, Yael. You are the one who is mistaken.” YaYa’s voice came as she interjected from the double doors. Her small frame standing tall. 

“Mother.” Yael said dropping his hands from my shoulders. “This decision is made out of the best interests of the Sanna family.”

“Best interests?” YaYa’s voice raised though crackling with a feebleness. “You have no best interests for this family only those of yourself!”

I glanced at Yael able to see a twinge of his eyes as they creased. There is anger starting to rise, something I did not understand is unfolding before me. “I hoped to avoid this confrontation. Aren is set to marry a girl of my choosing and that is final.” Yael motioned to walk away, when I caught his wrist. He looked down at me into my eyes, they twitched as if something caught him off guard, more deeply than my touch.

“No please there is some mistake. I have loved Aren for years and this of our choosing, please understand I want to marry your son.”

Yael scoffed, “Claire Bricet, daughter of poor thief who stole money from this family. Your father has bred nothing but dishonesty.”  
“Son!” YaYa interjected. “You know as well as I do, your grandfather gave that money to Perrin of his own free will and choice. He has paid us back thrice fold! This is nothing, but revenge against him and your father for taking away…”

“Mother!” Yael jerked his wrist out of my grasp and stalked over to her. “You have always been against me, enough!.”

 

In that instant my grandfather who usually moved slowly crossed the room just in time to catch Yael’s hand as he raised it to strike his own mother.

“I think you should leave now.” I could see the resistance it took from my grandfather to hold the wave of anger back. 

Yael looked at my grandfather. I could see the hatred burning in his eyes from my distance. He gave a jerk away as my grandfather released his wrist. “My decision is final. Aren is set to marry another girl in one week. Do as I say and forget him or you will suffer far worse.” He shook his sleeves down and passed his mother on the way out of the door. 

I could only stand there a bit in shock at the revelation until I snapped. I hurried past the sofa running to catch Yael who is just walking out of the door. “Claire! No! Don’t follow him!” YaYa attempted to catch my shoulder, but she missed as I melted into the air. 

I ran out of the entrance of the house to see Yael walking towards his car. “Mr. Sanna please! I love your son.” I closed in on him reaching out to grab his sleeve. As I pulled him back he twisted suddenly forcing my knees to the ground. I did not care as the concrete scratched my knees. “Please! I am begging you. Allow me to be with Aren. I’ll do anything to prove myself to you!” Suddenly he bent over grabbing my neck roughly and pulling his mouth into my ear. 

His whisper, violent shook me to my core.“There is nothing to prove Claire. You will always be the daughter of a thief and of a whore. You will never be enough for my son.” he pushed onto my neck shoving me downwards.

“Claire!” my grandmother shouted from the doors. At her words, Yael brushed off his suit and continued to open the door of his car. 

“Remember what I told you Claire. You will never be enough for Aren.” Yael said as he ducked into his car, slamming the door, and turning on the car. He pulled the short distance backwards. 

I wanted to follow him. To make him realize there had been a horrible misunderstanding. I pushed my body up about to run after the car when my grandmother wrapped her arms around me holding me back. “Claire! Stop! You cannot follow him.”

“He doesn’t know!” I shouted trying to pull away. “He doesn’t know how much I love Aren. I can make him understand everything!” the tears started to prick the edges of my eyelashes. I pushed them away as I fell to the ground my grandmother holding my head against her bosom as I cried. 

My grandfather standing next to YaYa said what he thought was softly enough for me not to hear, “Yael always gets what he wants.”

YaYa did not respond, whether or not she believed that remark, she did not lean either way. “Idna, Claire, come inside. We have much to talk about.”

After some time went by I collected myself enough for us to make our way back into the house. My grandmother kissed my forehead and squeezed my shoulders telling me to lay down upstairs. She would bring dinner up soon. I only nodded climbing the stairs and frantically entering Aren and I’s room to look for the cellphone on the dresser. I swiped it and began dialing Aren’s number over and over. Leaving voicemail after voicemail. I had not thought it odd that we did not talk in the past few days as I gave him time to spend with his mother, but not the concern crossed my mind in a far more grave manner. I threw the phone on my bed after the 8th call, continuing the pacing around the room. 

The hours went by, the days went by, and another week came and went as I waited for Aren to call. He never did. My grandmother now in a constant state of worry knocked at the door and stated she would leave my meals outside. She asked if I am ok. I only replied with a meek thank you and said that I needed to try to sleep. But one evening became notably different then the rest as I grew restless. I laid on the bed one last knock came from YaYa.

“Claire. I am sorry for that unexpected visit, but we will figure this out.” silence on the other end for a moment. “Please do not do anything out of haste. Do not follow him. He will hurt you far greater than imaginable.”

YaYa always observant had read my mind on what I planned to do. I never lied and I couldn’t, so a statement that is not a lie and instead a fact will do. “Don’t worry. I will wait for Aren.” is all I said. 

She seemed to leave and I waited for the lights outside my door to dim. When they did I snatched the duffle bag underneath near my bed and walked to the only source of light. I threw the window open deciding this situation needed to be cleared up and the only person who could clear things would be myself and the man who I thought would be my father in law. 

 

\------------------  
\------------------

 

After arriving at the airport I managed to find an open seat on the next redeye. The short flight seemed to take ages, but finally stepped out into the early evening. I called a taxi, knowing there is no time to waste. According to Aren’s father he would be married in a few short days. I needed answers, I needed to hear directly from him what transpired. Fortunately, I had the address for Yael Sanna as I had been given it by Cheri, Aren’s great aunt. Well more so stole it from her contact book. My nerves started to calm as I forced them to turn to steel. Only Yael Sanna would respond to this attitude. He would pounce on any chance of weakness I showed him. 

The taxi pulled up to the gate and stated who he carried with him. I half expected to be turned away, but they opened and allowed us to pass through. Once the taxi stopped, I threw some money on the front seat and told him to go, I would find my way back. He nodded and drove off after I had exited. This mansion had been relatively lived in, the structure from a different time, but well maintained. It managed to flaunt the old money the Sanna family reveled in, unlike the new money my father had come into. I took a deep breath in and made my way up to the front steps to the oversized double doors. I knocked a few times. An young housekeeper, slightly older than myself, answered and allowed me to enter. The orders from the gate traveled fast. I entered keeping my focus in front as the housekeeper led me down a hallway to another set of grandiose doors. 

They seemed to respond to my presence. Cracking open, the plum doors already welcoming someone from outside. The plum door reminded me of my grandmother’s house, but the inside far larger and far more extravagant. I breathed in deeply, as a housekeeper stepped in first with me in tow. 

“Mr. Sanna. Miss Claire Bricet is here to see you.” she waved me inside to which I stepped in, taking in the surrounded of an over luxurious office built for one person. The housekeeper closed the door behind me. 

Mr. Sanna, Yael Sanna, Aren’s father. Stood up from his chair at his desk. An empty bottle and glass of whiskey on top. A book opened at a particular point. I must tread lightly, but if I was not assertive my point in being here would be null. 

“Ah Claire. I can’t say that I didn’t expect you to come.” He leaned on the back of his chair. The sleeves of his shirt rolled up. Although Aren looked more like his grandfather there were some slight similarities. Yael Sanna had been graced with the same handsome rigor of his son. To put it simply he is a well aged man, but aged nonetheless. I did not notice the similarities at his first visit a week ago. 

I reached into my coat pocket, pulling the thin envelope out. “This showed up at my grandparents house two days ago and I have no need for it.” I placed it on the table that rested behind the sofa. Inside contained money, money meant for me to go away, money meant to pay me off so that I would not marry Aren. 

“I think you don’t understand the situation. You have had the wrong ideas from the beginning. Maybe I did not present myself as well as I should have last week.” his voice attempting to become soothing, but I could tell anger had been bubbling underneath.

“Wrong idea? Mr. Sanna, I have come here to see Aren. I want him to tell me himself what is happening I need to know where he is.”

“Where he is?” he started a slow walk around the desk, brushing the marble with his fingers as if he was wiping imaginary dust. “He is taking care of his mother, upstairs.” he had been expecting a reaction, but I held firm. 

“Then I want to see him.” 

A mocking sound came from Yael’s mouth. A condescending tsk. “Claire this foolish summer is over. Aren is taking his rightful place at my company. He is going to marry a proper girl and if I were you I would take the generous payment.”

I snatched the envelope that had a check inside from Yael Sanna. “Is this what you told him? I only loved him because of the money I would marry into. This is not the reason why I have not heard from Aren in the past couple of weeks.”

He laughed. “Well Claire I would say you are far more clever than what I gave you credit for. In a different world, you would have been the perfect daughter.”

“I am not your daughter.” I threw the envelope on the floor. 

“Hmmm” Yael came around the desk now moving closer towards me. “Do you want to know a secret Claire?”

I said nothing as he continued, “I told Aren at first that he would be disowned if didn’t marry the girl of my choosing, he didn’t care, said he never needed my money, just the way you are doing now. Then I told him his mother would suffer, maybe even his brother because of his actions.” Yael stopped a foot from me, looking down. His hand raised pointing to the bruise on his cheek. “This is what he did to me. He struck me out of pure rage. We fought and then the guards came and pulled him off, it got his attention, but not enough. Then do you know what I said to him Claire?”

“No. I don’t read thoughts.” 

“How funny.” his finger curled and reached out to my chin. He titled it upwards, his eyes started to glaze as if he were somewhere else, a different place, perhaps with someone else. He then leaned in so that his voice was only a whisper. His breath laced with the spirits of alcohol.

“I told him, that if he were to marry such a pathetic, worthless, daughter of a whore, I would kill you.”

A tingling sensation ran through my spine, those same words he said to me as I kneeled on the pavement, begging for his approval. My instinct told me to run. To run far away. “He isn’t here is he?”

“Oh.” the tsk sound once again as his head retracted and his eyes hovered above mine. “No Claire, Aren isn’t here.”

“I should go then.” I attempted to turn, but he caught my arm, yanking me backwards. I screamed hoping someone would come to my rescue. He covered my mouth. I tried to bite, but he clamped down harder, dragging me. I punched and kicked, landing some hits, but nothing connecting to weaken him. Then the next thing my vision started to dance, I fell to the ground as something came heavy down on top of my head. 

Yael stood over me, now getting to his knees, straddling my body. His fingers went to the buttons on my shirt. In one motion he ripped it open the button went flying. I only had my basic undergarments underneath. 

His hands went to my breasts. I tried to scream, but his other hand clamped over. My body was weak still barely unable to move from the hit he delivered. “Hmmm.” he leaned forward his mouth hovering above mine. “Now for my secret Claire.” He pushed my bra down, exposing my breasts, his fingers violating my body. “Although you look alike, you happen to be a bit prettier than your mother. I’ve always wondered if you taste the same.” 

He was getting off on this. The realization that crossed my mind, only turned him on even further. I found some last strength and clenched my fist, swinging towards his head, but he caught my wrists, pinning them down to my chest. “I liked it when she fought back. It showed how much more I could dominate her.” His fingers danced over my stomach. I screamed again. These violating fingers went underneath my jeans to the top of my underwear. 

“Scream all you want Claire. No one is going to hear.” 

His fingers reached me, plunging into my body, but it felt like I had been stabbed in the stomach. The violation brought a flood of tears to my eyes. “Good” he moved his body forward to my cheeks and started licking the water that flowed. “Do you like this Claire?” his fingers moved upward inside me. “I like how slutty you look. Do you make this face when my son is fucking you, Claire?” He was trying to build my body into submission. I jerked my hands, but he held fast. “Claire. It will hurt if you do that.” his unsettling voice resonated within. 

All I could hear was my name, repeated over and over, again and again as he assaulted. “Claire, Claire, Claire.” my name turned into a meaning of disgust. It turned into agony to hear it spoken. I wanted it to end. I wanted him to knock me unconscious I did not want to be coherent for what he was going to do next. My will to fight had started to dwindle. 

“You’ve calmed down.Though I like you a bit feisty, this will be far more pleasant for the both of us. If you do anything but moan for me, if you dare scream, if you dare tell anyone of this, I will kill my wife first, then Sami, then your precious Aren.”

“Fuck you!” I was able to build up enough saliva to spit in his face. “You wouldn’t touch them!”

The silence of his voice, the twisted smile that came upon his face as his lips parted. “Fortunately, I can always make new children.”

He undid his pants and mine pulling them away, throwing them to the side. I closed my eyes to not watch as Aren’s father defiled my body. The sounds of him. The name “Claire” repeated over and over as his hands wiped back my hair from my cheeks. That night as he raped me, I vowed that Claire Bricet would die just as he said, hers would be quick, whereas Yael Sanna would die a slow and painful death. 

\--------------------  
Present  
[Claire inside the Memory Portrait]  
\--------------------

It happened. It had been real. The pain of that memory ached deep within my heart, filtering through. My lungs were empty I started to gasp for air. I laid on my back trying to scream for anyone to hear me, to fight off the shocks that were still riddling my body. The pressure, the gravity in this room weighed my body down as though he were still upon of me. Tears were flowing beyond my eyelashes

I am in so much pain. Aren. Aren…. Aren…… Aren.. his name repeating over and over, trying to erase what had transpired. Aren… I needed you. Claire needed you. My eyes widened at the thought, it brought me to the present. I could begin to grasp this thought or at least bargain that myself and Claire were actually two different people at this point. 

I clenched my fist. I needed to fight this. I needed to carry on. I needed to know what happened to me. What happened to Claire. I needed the strength to continue. 

“Claire!” I shouted, choking on my own name. I had to find her. She is locked somewhere within these memories. As Flory said...no as I know she is hurt. She felt betrayed by the man she loved. I could feel her anger starting to boil, reliving the memory. 

“Claire!” I shouted out my name bringing a hand to my knee. A push from my heel and I staggered to a standing position. 

“You’re starting to get annoying.” I turned around, scared by the voice that sounded clearly in my right ear. 

“Claire.”

In front of me stood the figure, the me who tried to prevent intrusion from the memory portrait. Her all white suit and high nude heels should have staggered above my own stature, but we seemed to be at the same level. 

She made that tsk sound from the previous vision I had just experienced. I must have winced. “Oh did that strike a nerve?” she placed her hands behind her back. Her voice similar to mine, but an accent slightly more developed. “You should know better than to call me by that name after what you just experienced. Do you remember now? How it felt to be helpless? How it felt to know that the man you loved with every fiber of your being abandoned you to his father without warning.”

My eyebrows clenched together. She walked circling me, the clink of her heels against the pure white room we now stood in. She brought her hand in front snapping her fingers and pointing to the never ending white ceiling. “That’s right. You haven’t seen that part yet. Well let me give you a hint dear one. It’s not pretty when you realize Aren knew about what his father did to your mother. He never told you and then just let you go to the wolf.”

“He was just trying to protect me… to protect us!”

“Protect us?” she paused. The clink of her heels no longer as she stood. “Loose a memory or two and the whole wagon comes unhinged.” She now turned to me, her whole figure seemed to evaporate and then materialize in front of me. “You know nothing. You know nothing about the things I did. I’m the one who protected them. I am the one who protected Aren and his family. After he left me to bow down to his father, to be humiliated. I rose up.”

I looked down at the ground. I started to search my mind for the missing piece to this puzzle. Then it dawned on me. I looked back up at her… at Milcah. “This is why you are showing me these things. You tried to take control of my body so you could kill Yael.”

Her eyebrow arched. “Why Claire you are far more clever than what I gave you credit for. In a different world, you would have been far greater instead of so short lived.”

Those words echoing from the memory of the assault. “What about Aren?”

“A distant memory.” I could see the faint quiver in her jaw. “We were all born into this world innocent, but things have a way of corrupting us. Greed, pride, and sometimes passion.”

She needed to stop talking. The Aren of the past is not the one that I know. “Where is Claire? What have you done with her?” 

Milcah’s attention snapped to me. 

“I want to see Claire. She and you may be a part of me, but I am someone different. You won’t scare me with these memories.”

“Do you not feel the pain? I can see your body is still shaking. Don’t be fooled, you are the same as her, only I rose out of the ashes and now I want back into that world as I can see you won’t strike against Yael Sanna.”

Another tactic needed to throw her off. “Aren still loves you.”

A flicker of anger crossed her eyes, one fire burning far deeper under the other. She did it again disappearing and materializing in front of me, this time though a menacing grin crossed her mouth. “Don’t be fooled you weakling. He has never loved me. Let me show you one last time why there is no use holding onto those childish notions of love. Let me show you why there is no turning back.”

She snapped her finger. Then just as I had fallen into the first portrait, Milcah pushed me into the one that appeared behind. I could feel the same resistance as I entered, only this time she fell into it with me. I had not seen what the image had been on the portrait, but I knew this memory would be both the birth and death of Milcah Bricet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> END NOTE: Thanks for reading Chapter 9 and to the new followers! I hoped you like this revealing chapter because the next one is going to be a wild ride as well. 
> 
> [1] If you did not already realize, Claire is essentially unconscious and in a “dream” sequence. At the end of Chapter 8, it is implied that the voice Claire heard underneath the ocean put her to sleep so that she could show her the past. The cat from Claire’s dreams in various chapters is revealed to be Flory who we met in Chapter 4 & 5\. You could state that the Claire of the past is channeling the Flory character in order to connect with the Claire of the present. We also find out that Claire has a connection with the energies surrounding her as she runs through the woods to the river garden, suggesting the supernatural elements of the story have purpose and are not completely random. 
> 
> [2] On a music note, I don’t have any brand new songs, but make sure to check out: Only If for a Night & No Light, No Light (Florence + the Machine), Consequences (Orchestra version Camila Cabello).


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